Cheddar Gorgeous is the stage name of Michael John Atkins, a British drag performer and academic who competed on series 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

Cheddar Gorgeous
Cheddar Gorgeous at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born
Michael Atkins

Birmingham, England
EducationUniversity of Manchester (PhD)
Occupation(s)Drag performer, academic
Websitecheddar-gorgeous.co.uk

Career edit

Atkins competed as Cheddar Gorgeous on the fourth series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK,[1] where she finished as the runner-up. She had previously appeared on Drag SOS.[2][3] In 2023, Cheddar Gorgeous was a guest celebrity on series 5 of Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star airing on BBC Three.[4] She won Celebrity Mastermind in 2023.[5][6]

Personal life edit

[7] Atkins was born in Birmingham and now live in Manchester.[8] His drag name comes from the landmark Cheddar Gorge.[9]

Atkins holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Manchester.[10] In September 2023, Atkins began a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Manchester.[11]

Discography edit

List of featured singles
Title Year Album
"Come Alive" (Queens of the Bone Age version)
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, series 4)
2022 Non-album singles
"Lairy Poppins: The Rusical"
(with the cast RuPaul's Drag Race UK, series 4)
"UK Grand Finale Megamix"
(RuPaul featuring the cast RuPaul's Drag Race UK, series 4)

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2019 Drag SOS Herself Mentor
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 4 Contestant
2023 Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star series 5 Guest Judge
2023 The After Shave with Danny Beard Guest
2023 Celebrity Mastermind (series 22) Contestant (Winner)

References edit

  1. ^ Baska, Maggie (1 June 2022). "'Disruptively gendered' drag icon Cheddar Gorgeous to lead Platinum Jubilee parade". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  2. ^ "21 questions with 'Drag SOS' star Cheddar Gorgeous". Attitude.co.uk. 12 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Cheddar Gorgeous delivers out of this world lip-sync to David Bowie's 'Starman'". Attitude.co.uk. 27 June 2021. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star Series 5: Episode 6". www.bbc.co.uk. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  5. ^ Noyce, Eleanor (5 December 2023). "Cheddar Gorgeous says Mastermind was 'the right throne' to win". PinkNews. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ^ James, Alastair (4 December 2023). "Drag Race UK's Cheddar Gorgeous wins Celebrity Mastermind". Attitude. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  7. ^ "StackPath". xtramagazine.com. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Who is Cheddar Gorgeous, Manchester contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race 2022?". www.manchesterworld.uk. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  9. ^ Burgos, Joey (21 September 2022). "Meet RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 4's Queens". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  10. ^ Owen, Christopher J. (16 July 2019). ""Outside of What is Human": An Interview with SFF Drag Queen Cheddar Gorgeous". Anglia Ruskin Centre for Science Fiction & Fantasy. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  11. ^ Wratten, Marcus (18 September 2023). "Drag Race UK's Cheddar Gorgeous begins 'radical' career change". Pink News. Retrieved 17 December 2023.

External links edit