Top 10 Queens Who Will Never Come Back to Drag Race

If fan love were enough, this kooky queen would be on every single season. Katya won hearts in both season 7 and the iconic second season of “All Stars,” but she’s since been very vocal about the body horror of even considering a return to “Drag Race.” On her podcast with co-host Trixie Mattel, they have both stated multiple times that they wouldn’t shantay back into the werk room for any amount of money. That doesn’t mean Katya is completely done with the show though. She has returned for brief cameos on “Drag Race UK” and “All Stars” 8. Still, it’s very unlikely we’ll see her competing again anytime soon.

This veteran queen made a big splash on season 13. After having to postpone her appearance due to a cancer diagnosis the previous year, she finally entered the competition in 2021 and delivered the drama. She exited the show with lots of good press and fan support, but all of that soon changed. Internet users alleged Tamisha Iman’s merch store wasn’t fulfilling their orders. In response to the criticism on social media, Tamish accused the show of rigging the outcome through deceptive editing. While some queens have stirred controversy before being asked back on “All Stars,” allegations that could damage the show’s reputation probably wouldn’t be taken lightly.

With her editorial style, gray hair, and Transatlantic accent, this season 7 contestant seemed poised to make it all the way. However, after winning two challenges, she bombed Snatch Game and was sent home in an utterly shocking exit. Max’s departure was quite controversial; during critiques, she experienced a wardrobe malfunction and began singing out of nowhere, which made her look delusional. But she has since been vocal about how the editors manipulated the moment, explaining that RuPaul actually asked her to sing. This was somewhat corroborated by the official “Drag Race” Twitter account. In a now-deleted 2018 tweet, Max mentioned that even if she were invited to “All Stars,” she wouldn’t return due to her distrust of the production crew.

Few queens who have graduated from “RuPaul’s Drag School for Girls” have had quite the crossover success of Bianca Del Rio. After winning season 6, she was already seasoned enough to host her own shows. She took her self-proclaimed “rolodex of hate” on a global tour, performing to sold-out crowds. Since her winning season, she has only returned to “Drag Race” for guest appearances. Even when the show brought back a slew of previous champions to compete again, Del Rio was noticeably absent. When asked by Attitude Magazine about the possibility of returning in the future, she gave a very firm no.

She’s easily one of the sweetest queens ever to grace the mainstage. Who could hate Courtney Act? Well, when controversy erupted over one of the show’s longtime catchphrases, Courtney voiced her opinion on Twitter and caught a block from RuPaul herself. She has since called the host a little bit of a hypocrite, but we imagine she did so in the classiest way possible. It’s not like “Drag Race” is Courtney’s only chance to get on TV anyway. Since her time on the show, she has appeared on several other reality programs. She even won the UK edition of “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2018.

King Tyra, or James Ross, who has repeatedly tried to distance himself from his former drag persona, Tyra Sanchez, won the second season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” amidst some controversy. Due to his confrontational nature on the show, many fans weren’t all that pleased with his eventual win. Subsequent incidents, including an alleged threat against the show’s annual DragCon event, have firmly landed Ross in the growing list of unlikely returnees. On the YouTube show “Exposed,” Ross compared being asked to go back on “Drag Race” to telling him to return to an exploitative relationship. So, it’s fair to say the chances of seeing King Tyra on All Winners 2 are almost zero.

Season 10 saw some very real discussions about the treatment of Black contestants on “Drag Race,” mostly brought to the fore by The Vixen. The Chicago queen wasn’t afraid to go toe to toe with anyone. That included RuPaul herself. At the reunion, The Vixen decided to walk off the stage rather than hear any more of her experiences being invalidated by the host or her castmates. As soon as her season ended, The Vixen was already putting the kibosh on an eventual “All Stars” return. Even if the show came calling, and that’s a big if, it’s pretty safe to say she would leave them on read.

During her time on season 7, Pearl was frequently told by the judges that she lacked a personality. The statement was so overused that it became a tiring joke at the end. By her own admission, Pearl held back some unsavory and traumatic experiences from her past, and the show’s persistent probing into those experiences left her feeling uneasy. It certainly didn’t help that she later gave an interview in which she made some comments about the producers and RuPaul herself that escalated into a full-blown scandal. Since her time on “Drag Race,” Pearl has largely stepped away from drag, preferring a more private and less demanding lifestyle than some of her former castmates.

Arguably the original “Drag Race” wild child, Willam’s disqualification in the eighth episode of season four was initially shrouded in mystery. No explanation for the incident was given until the reunion. But even that was only half the story. Willam has since gone on record to say that she made herself a problem for the production team by questioning their mistreatment of the contestants. Her beef goes all the way to the top though, with Willam recounting several heated exchanges with RuPaul over the years. Whether you think she’s a whistleblower or simply a hater, the feud between Willam and the show remains strong and is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.

Well, this one had to be obvious. The infamous Sherry Pie was disqualified before her original season even ended due to allegations of catfishing and sexual misconduct. Throughout the season, Sherry proved to be a fierce competitor, even making it to the finale, but she was largely edited out of the final product. Of all the reasons a queen might never return to the show, hers is by far the most egregious. Although she tried to save face in the media, Sherry was disowned by most of her castmates and has mostly disappeared from the mainstream. She may remain somewhat active on social media, but one thing is for sure: she’ll never be invited back to “Drag Race.”

Which unlikely “Drag Race” returnees would you like to see make a comeback to the show? Tell us in the comments.