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Cheddar Gorgeous

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

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.

Career

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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]

Formerly known as "Sisters Gorgeous" with her "drag sister" Anna Phylactic, the two formed "The Family Gorgeous", a drag house akin to the drag family model seen in the United States.[7]

Personal life

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Atkins was born in Birmingham and now lives in Manchester.[8][9] His drag name comes from the landmark Cheddar Gorge.[10]

Atkins holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Manchester.[11] In September 2023, Atkins began a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Manchester.[12]

Discography

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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

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Film and television

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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)

Music videos

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Year Title Artist Role
2020 "Nerves of Steel"[13] Erasure Herself

References

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  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. ^ Ryan, Gary (3 August 2017). "Big Issue North". Big Issue North. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  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. ^ "StackPath". xtramagazine.com. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Wratten, Marcus (18 September 2023). "Drag Race UK's Cheddar Gorgeous begins 'radical' career change". Pink News. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  13. ^ Erasure (11 August 2020). "Erasure - Nerves of Steel (Official Video)" (YouTube video). Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
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