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A New Hive of Queen Bees Take Flight for CANADA’S DRAG RACE Season 5, Premiering November 21

Image for the A New Hive of Queen Bees Take Flight for CANADA’S DRAG RACE Season 5, Premiering November 21 press release
CraveCanada’s Drag Race
–The new season showcases the talents of 11 drag artists from across Canada, including Helena Poison, Jaylene Tyme, Makayla Couture, Minhi Wang, Perla, Sanjina DaBish Queen, Tara Nova, The Virgo Queen, Tiffany Ann Co., Uma Gahd, and Xana –
– Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski, and Traci Melchor return as resident judges –

TORONTO (October 23, 2024) – Crave unveiled today the buzzy cast of Canadian queens competing in Season 5 of the hit Crave Original series CANADA’S DRAG RACE, premiering on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. ET. The season features 11 new drag artists competing to bee-come Canada’s Next Drag Superstar. Available in English and French, new episodes of CANADA’S DRAG RACE stream Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Crave. Season 5 launches simultaneously on World of Wonder’s SVOD platform WOW Presents Plus, in the U.S. and in more than 160 countries around the world.  

Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski, and Traci Melchor return to the judges’ table, alongside a stellar lineup of special guest judges, to be announced in the coming weeks. Winner of 17 Canadian Screen Awards over its four previous seasons, CANADA’S DRAG RACE features top talent from the Canadian drag scene as they take part in a series of singing, dancing, acting, impersonating, costume making, and improvisation challenges to win the title of “Canada’s Next Drag Superstar” and a $100,000 grand prize. Competitors are eliminated until one queen is left standing with the crown, scepter, and coveted title. Throughout their journey, the queens share their personal struggles, celebrate their successes, and showcase the importance of embracing everyone’s Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent. **Media Note: assets for CANADA’S DRAG RACE are available on The Lede HERE** The queens of CANADA’S DRAG RACE Season 5 are: Helena Poison Age: 32 (Toronto, ON) Pronouns: she/her (in drag), they/them/he (out of drag) Instagram: @thehelenapoison TikTok: @helenapoison X: @poison_helena
  • Originally from St. Catharines, ON, Helena Poison is a designer who spends her weeks performing drag in Toronto, and her weekends taking out-of-town gigs.
  • She is a skilled makeup artist who knows her way around prosthetics and special FX makeup.
  • Her drag career started when she grew tired of doing makeup for others, and her friends pushed her to step onto the stage.
“I’m a mad scientist of drag. There’s no challenge in this competition that I’ll fail at because I’m the sh*t.”   Jaylene Tyme Age: 52 (Vancouver, BC) Pronouns: she/her (in and out of drag) Instagram: @jaylenetyme TikTok: @jaylenetyme35 X: @jaylenetyme
  • Jaylene Tyme is Indigenous from Ancestral Territory Treaty 4 (Saskatchewan) and has been a drag performer based in Vancouver for more than 30 years.
  • Her show, Legends Cabaret, celebrates the art of drag and world class celebrity impersonations where she transforms into a variety of iconic divas including Dolly Parton, Cher, Marilyn Monroe, and Barbra Streisand.
  • Jaylene’s legendary status has garnered her the title of Empress 35 of Vancouver and Chairperson of the International Court council (USA, Canada, and Mexico – Imperial Court System).
“Yes, I’m gonna win because where there’s a hurdle, there’s a turtle. Slow and steady wins the race. It’s time to take that crown to the Pow Wow!”   Makayla Couture                           Age: 21 (Toronto, ON) Pronouns: she/her (in and out of drag) Instagram: @makayla.couture TikTok: @makayla.couture X: @makayla.couture
  • Makayla Couture attended a musical theatre high school, where she first discovered her passion for performance. She later found her strength in the ballroom scene, which empowered her as a performer.
  • She had an appearance in Season 2 of CANADA’S DRAG RACE where she took part in the makeover challenge and met her Drag Mother, Icesis Couture.
  • She discovered her Trans identity in her early teens and found comfort in the Trans and Black communities. Today, she proudly represents both communities with confidence and strength.
“I am the one to beat! There’s no one else that’s going to bring all this Blackness, Transness – it’s gonna be a fantasy.”   Minhi Wang Age: 39 (Toronto, ON) Pronouns: she/her (in drag); he/him (out of drag) Instagram: @heyminhiwang TikTok: @heyminhiwang X: @minhiwang
  • Minhi Wang is a busy queen who works a full-time government job, is a part-time physiotherapist, and volunteers at a long-term care home performing drag.
  • She was a founding Pit Crew member in Season 1 of CANADA’S DRAG RACE.
  • She is an active water polo player and a member of the queer water polo team, The Toronto Triggerfish.
“I love winning. And for those people that tell me winning isn’t everything – well, have you ever won anything in your life?”   Perla Age: 29 (Toronto, ON) Pronoun: she/her (in drag); no preference out of drag Instagram: @callherperla TikTok: @justcallherperla X: @callherperla
  • Perla has a unique editorial perspective on fashion and has worked in the industry for 10 years.
  • She prides herself on having an arsenal of skills including singing, acting, and doing versatile makeup. However, she is best known in the drag scene for her wig styling and famous hair whips.
  • She is the winner of the Absolut Empire’s Ball 2022, an annual event founded by Scarlett Bobo, which celebrates the dazzling artistry and creativity of drag.
“Toronto’s marathon drag is intense, but it’s the only place you’ll find a queen who does what I do. Everyone tried to be me, but they failed at it. So, get ready world, you’re not ready for these looks. Step into my rolodex of references.”   Sanjina DaBish Queen Age: 32 (Toronto, ON) Pronouns: she/her (in and out of drag) Instagram: @sanjinadbq TikTok: @sanjinadbq X: @sanjinaDBQ
  • Sanjina DaBish Queen calls herself the Trans, Fijian, Bolly-hood queen of Toronto. Her signature drag style features a powerhouse of dance performances that incorporate her Fijian background and magical energy.
  • She is working on a one-woman show about her life in the style of a Bollywood musical called Becoming Sanjina.
  • She is a lead instructor in the Drag Masterclass run by the City of Toronto.
“Thirsty? Grab the bottle, because you know you want to gulp this Fiji water.”   Tara Nova Age: 23 (St. John’s, NFLD) Pronouns: she/her (in drag); he/him (out of drag) Instagram: @itstaranova TikTok: @itstaranova X: @itstaranova
  • In just a few years, Tara Nova has climbed her way to the top of the Newfoundland & Labrador drag scene and has become one of the most booked queens in the capital, St. John’s.
  • She is a self-taught seamstress who was recently awarded a grant from Arts NL to continue designing and creating.
  • She wants to carry the mantle for the East Coast and show the world just how resourceful Atlantic Queens are.
“I am the most polished queen in Atlantic Canada. Nobody looks like me, walks like me, or brings the party like me. My makeup, gorge! My garments, hemmed! My performance, on point!”   The Virgo Queen Age: 25 (Toronto, ON) Pronouns: she/her (in drag); he/him (out of drag) Instagram: @thevirgoqueen TikTok: @_thevirgoqueen6 X: @thevirgoqueenTO
  • The Virgo Queen has been dancing and singing her whole life. Before beginning her career in drag, she was a finalist on the Canadian reality series THE NEXT STAR and had her taste of fame at the young age of 14.
  • She is a versatile entertainer who performs nightly shows at bars and tours across Canada with RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE alum Violet Chachki and Gottmik.
  • As someone who is biracial and half-Indigenous, The Virgo Queen has always navigated life in between identities. Now, she’s embracing her full heritage, using it as inspiration to craft her unique voice as a drag artist.
“The more successful and the more popular I get; the more people tend to be jealous of me. Well, let these jealous queens have it!”   Tiffany Ann Co. Age: 32 (Vancouver, BC) Pronouns: she/her (in drag); he/him (out of drag) Instagram: @tiffanyannco.duh TikTok: @tiffanyannco.duh X: @tiffanyanncoduh
  • Tiffany Ann Co. is a proud 1st generation Vietnamese immigrant, and she is excited to represent her community on screen.
  • She has a background in competitive hip hop, and with a little wind machine, head mic, and a rhinestone or two, Tiffany can make every performance feel like the Super Bowl half-time show.
  • Whether she’s flipping her hair locally, or jet setting to Toronto or Montreal, Tiffany Ann Co. brings high energy performance, glamour, and fashion to every city stop on what she calls her “Asian Baby Girl World Tour.”
“I can take your breath away with my stage presence and my ability to dance. I’m not going to ask you to put your eyes on me…I’m going to make you!”   Uma Gahd Age: 36 (Montreal, QC) Pronouns in Drag: she/her Instagram: @umagahd TikTok: @umagahd X: @houseofgahd
  • One of the top queens in her city, Uma Gahd is in high demand, hosting and performing 15-30 shows every month.
  • Uma Gahd is enthralled by old school drag and can effortlessly put together silly and conceptual performances that touch on gender and politics.
  • She sold out her one woman drag comedy play, Are You There, Margaret? It’s Me, Gahd, three nights in a row at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and received a four-star review in the festival’s biggest publication.
“Drag is taking everything that everyone told me to be ashamed of about myself and making them absolutely eat it.”   Xana Age: 26 (Vancouver, BC) Pronouns: she/they (in and out of drag) Instagram: @xanasrevenge TikTok: @xanasrevenge X: @xanadelrey2
  • Xana is the Drag Mogul & CEO of Vancouver. She is a full-time drag performer with weekly and monthly shows, and a well-loved podcast called Cut the Crease.
  • Xana is fiercely protective of her community and passionate about creating a safe, diverse scene – including advocating for better pay, inclusive spaces, and reclaiming her Indigenous roots.
  • She has raised thousands of dollars for Canadian charities which go to performer funds for disenfranchised communities and Trans health care. When asked why she devotes so much time to these causes, Xana says, “If not me, then who?”
“I know I’ll be better than anybody else that is on the show with me. I’m going to claw and fight my way to the end because I’m major, slur.”   In association with Crave, Season 5 of CANADA’S DRAG RACE is produced by Blue Ant Studios with World of Wonder. Executive Producers for Blue Ant Studios are Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Donna Luke, and Laura Michalchyshyn. Trevor Boris is Executive Producer/Showrunner, Lori Greenberg is Supervising Producer. Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, and RuPaul Charles. For Bell Media, Justin Stockman is Executive Producer. Senior Production Executive is Danielle Pearson. Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming. Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming. Justin Stockman is Vice President, Content Development & Programming. and Karine Moses is Senior Vice President, Content Development & News.

Social Media

  • @CanadasDragRace
  • @CraveCanada
  • @Crave_PR

About Bell Media Original Programming

Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include the most-watched Canadian dramas TRANSPLANT and SULLIVAN’S CROSSING; record-breaking Canadian format THE AMAZING RACE CANADA; comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING; unscripted series THE TRAITORS CANADA and FARMING FOR LOVE; and quiz series BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty and streaming platforms are CTV Life Channel’s culinary series MARY MAKES IT EASY with Mary Berg, and food, travel, and adventure series EVOLVING VEGAN; CTV Comedy Channel’s ROAST BATTLE CANADA and the scripted series ACTING GOOD. Crave Originals include hit series LETTERKENNY and its official spinoff series SHORESY, CANADA’S DRAG RACE, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE (EVEN JAY BARUCHEL), and LITTLE BIRD; docuseries DARK SIDE OF THE RING; and acclaimed documentaries including KINGS OF COKE. Discovery is home to Bell Media’s hit factual series and franchises HIGHWAY THRU HELL, EAST HARBOUR HEROES, and Animal Planet’s PETS & PICKERS. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. Learn more at www.BellMedia.ca.

About Crave

Delivering more Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning programming than any other service, Crave is Canada’s prestige entertainment offering, with HBO Originals, Max Originals, STARZ, Hollywood-hit movies, is the exclusive Canadian streaming home of FRIENDS, and boasts a robust slate of English and French original series. Crave is a major supporter of Canada’s production industry, helping to fund numerous film projects, and features acclaimed selections from some of Canada’s prestigious film festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, HOT DOCS, ImagineNATIVE, and Inside Out Film Festival.

Crave is a bilingual TV and streaming service with thousands of hours of exclusive French-language content. Crave is available directly to all Canadians with access to the Internet at Crave.ca, via iOS and Android, and other platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, select LG Smart TVs, PlayStation, Roku, select Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One. It’s also available through participating service providers across ten, 24-hour High Definition linear and on demand channels. Crave is from Bell Media, Canada’s leading content company, providing Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming on network, specialty, pay and digital platforms. Visit our website at Crave.ca.

Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include BLOWN AWAY (Netflix), CANADA’S DRAG RACE (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, DAVEY AND JONESIE’S LOCKER (Hulu and Prime Video), CASEY ANTHONY: WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (Peacock), DRINK MASTERS (Netflix), RACE AGAINST THE TIDE (CBC), THE KIDS IN THE HALL: COMEDY PUNKS (Prime Video), 9/11 KIDS (CBC), SEE NO EVIL (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, GARY AND HIS DEMONS (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, MR. DRESSUP: THE MAGIC OF MAKE-BELIEVE (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com ⼁Twitter⼁Instagram⼁LinkedIn

About World of Wonder

World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 33 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE and DragCon. SVOD WOW Presents Plus, the exclusive home to the global DRAG RACE franchise and hundreds of WOW Original series, saw 35M hours of content watched in 2023 with 77% subscriber growth in the same year. WOW’s pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like MILLION DOLLAR LISTING. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES, PARTY MONSTER, and THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE. WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter’s Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted. Honours for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, Banff’s Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.

Contact

Maeve Lisle

Crave – HBO – Starz

Publicist, Streaming & Entertainment Specialty

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