Blu Hydrangea is the stage name of Joshua Cargill,[1] a drag performer and one of the contestants of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
Blu was later unofficially voted Miss Congeniality by fans.
Blu later returned to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World, and was crowned the first-ever Queen of the Mothertucking World.
Drag Name Origin
"My drag name comes from some Blu Hydrangea bush that is in my garden. My nanna told me that we had to plant it with a rusty nail so that it turns into a beautiful blue hydrangea. I love that story of something coming from a rusty dirty old nail into something beautiful which is kind of like me as a person. I came from someone who wasn’t so confident who was a little bit of a nerd into this glamourous colourful being - I love it."[9]
Track Record(s)
| Statistics | UK Season 1 | UK vs The World |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking: | 5th Place Miss Congeniality |
1st Place (Winner) |
| Maxi Challenges Won: | 1 (Ep. 5) | 1 (Ep. 4) |
| Mini Challenges Won: | 0 | 0 |
| Times as Team Captain: | 0 | 0 |
| Times in Bottom: | 2 (Eps. 2, 6) | 1 (Ep. 5) |
| Episode Eliminated: | Episode 6 | N/A |
Memorable Quotes
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1
- "I'm ready to paint the town blue!" (entrance quote)
- "Oh, mummy!"
- "Oh, right. Scaredy Kat really does like the pussy"
- "Oh, I'm Cher's decapitated head, bitch."
- "Bottom Two Spice." (to Sum Ting Wong)
- "Despunk my balls!"
- ♪ "Get the frock out of my way! Hydrangea's in the game now, mug beat for the gods, working on my funny, beating all the odds. I can be the hero for the gays back home, bitches better watch out, now I send them home (home, home, home) (Pack your bags, you're going home! Oh dear, Blu's here! She's got the crown, she's breaking down)" ♪ (verse on Break Up (Bye Bye) by The Frock Destroyers.)
- "If we book you." (to Cheryl Hole before being eliminated)
- "Well ladies don't be feeling Blu, just follow her on Instagram!" (elimination quote)
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
- "Well, what's the craic?" (entrance quote)
- "I know, it's ruined me!"
- "I don't bloody know, Ru, there was only three films, baby." (as Mike Myers/Austin Powers on Snatch Game)
- "I don't bloody know baby, I'm not the real Mike Myers, baby." (as Mike Myers/Austin Powers on Snatch Game)
- "I wrote Bangers & Mash Ru, because my Bangers & Mash have been rock hard since I've been here, baby." (as Mike Myers/Austin Powers on Snatch Game)
- "Do I make you horny, baby? Do I make you Randy?" (as Mike Myers/Austin Powers on Snatch Game)
- "That's freaking gross. You probably wish you had a time machine so you could take that back." (as Mike Myers/Dr. Evil to Janey Jacké as James Charles on Snatch Game)
- "Well, actually, Ru, I have Graham Norton held hostage in my Amsterdam lair. Above a lake of hot smegma. And there's only one way to save him RuPaul, a Golden RuPeter Badge." (as Mike Myers/Dr. Evil on Snatch Game)
- "But tonight I'm sending home... Pangina."
- "Sorry, Pangina." (to Jujubee's Cat Purse)
- "My first line has "eliminator" in it because I just eliminated the strongest queen in the competition."
- ♪ "Creator, eliminator, Belfast queen is a gender breaker. Queer is for life, but not without a fight. Gays getting married, the future is bright! Beat-maker, crown taker, Blu's gonna be the new Hall of Famer. Luck of the Irish, got my name in the stars. Got something to say? Who do you think you are?"♪ (verse on Living My Life in London)
- "It's ok, you'll be in the next All Stars, right?" (to Jujubee after eliminating her)
- "Northern Ireland, I'm taking the crown home, home, home, home!" (winner's speech)
Farewell Message
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1
"Not just a look Queen! BLU came, Blu slayed, Blu conquered for N.I. ♡ Love you ALL! BLU Hydrangea♡"
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
N/A
Trivia
- Blu Hydrangea was the most followed queen of the UK Season 1 cast before the show aired.
- Blu Hydrangea is the first contestant...
- ...from Northern Ireland to compete on the Drag Race franchise.
- ...to get a match in the Snatch Game on RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
- ...to win a challenge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK and not reach the finale.
- ...to win both a regular and gold RuPeter Badge, along with Baga Chipz
- ...to be both an unofficial Miss Congeniality and win a season.
- She is the second Miss Congeniality to go on to win their second run, the first being Monét X Change, who was Miss Congeniality on Season 10, and later won All Stars 4.
- As a member of The Frock Destroyers, she was part of the first shared win between three contestants in the franchise's history, along with Baga Chipz and Divina De Campo.
- Blu Hydrangea is the only winner of the Girl Groups challenge not to reach the finale on the UK Season 1.
- She was followed by A'Whora on UK Season 2.
- Blu Hydrangea can be seen in the audience with her boyfriend in the Semi-Finals round of Queen of the Universe.[10]
- Blu Hydrangea was crowned as the unofficial Miss Congeniality of UK Season 1 by the fans via a voting made on Bob The Drag Queen's Twitter, making her the first Miss Congeniality of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.[11][12]
- This makes her the second Miss Congeniality to be crowned unofficially after Tynomi Banks.
- She has had the shortest reign of any Miss Congeniality due to being crowned long after the season had finished airing.
- Blu Hydrangea's promo look for UK vs The World was made by Crimsyn, also known as Matt, winner of Season 1 of Painted with Raven.[13]
- Blu Hydrangea is the fifth winner in the franchise to win one maxi challenge in her season, following Yvie Oddly (Season 11), Kita Mean (Down Under Season 1), Kylie Sonique Love (All Stars 6) and Vanessa Van Cartier (Holland Season 2).
- She was followed by Willow Pill (Season 14).
- As of 2022, Blu Hydrangea hosts her own show on BBC Three called “Stitch, Please!” This was announced on her Instagram on the 17th April 2022.
- The show consists of four episodes, each having a different topics and guests.
- On UK vs The World, Blu and Baga Chipz had the same track record, both placing in the top in the first episode, being safe for the next two episodes, winning the fourth episode, and placing in the bottom in the fifth episode.
Gallery
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1
Mini Promo
Mini Trailer
Alternate Promo
Alternate Promo
Beheading of Anne Boleyn Photoshoot
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1 Looks
Promo Look
Gay Times Promo Look
Premiere Look
Confessional Look
Entrance Look
Queen of Your Hometown Look – Belfast
Queen Elizabeth Realness Look – Pound Queen
Bond Girl Glamourama Look – Triple Tatas
Posh on a Penny Look
Snatch Game Look – Mary Berry
Weird Science Look
A Day at the Races Look
Rainy Day Eleganza Look
Unaired Drag Family Realness Look
Best Drag Look
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
Mini Promo
Mini Promo
#TeamBlu Promo
#TeamBlu Promo
#TeamBlu Banner
Winner Congratulatory Post
Winner Congratulatory Banner
Artwork.jpg "Champion(RuXBlu)Artwork.jpg (8.35 MB)")
Champion (Ru X Blu) Cover (Drag Race Prize)
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World Looks
Promo Look
Confessional Look
Entrance Look
Talent Show Look
I'm A Winner Baby Look
Kitty Girl Look
Butch Queen Look
You Wear It Well Look
West End Wendys: The Comeback Look – Mariah Gon Trappy
Dot Dot Dot Look
Snatch Game Look – Mike Myers (as Austin Powers/Dr. Evil from "Austin Powers")
Luck Be A Lady Look
Episode 4 LSFTW Look
Werk of Art Look
Grand Finale Eleganza Extravaganza Look
LSFTC Round 1 Look
LSFTC Round 2 Look
Videos
Blue Hydrangea Meet The Queens Drag Race UK (Season One)
Blu Hydrangea Keep Calm and Meet the Queens!
Filmography
TV
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK (Season 1) | Self | Contestant (Placed 5th) | [9] |
| 2022 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World | Self | Contestant (Placed 1st) | [14] |
| 2022 | Stitch, Please! | Self | Host | [15] |
Discography
Appearances/Features
| Year | Title | Artwork | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Break Up (Bye Bye)" | 
|
as The Frock Destroyers |
| 2020 | "FROCK4LIFE" | 
|
as The Frock Destroyers |
| 2022 | "Living My Life in London (Cast Version)" | 
|
by RuPaul feat. The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World, Season 1 |
| 2022 | "Champion (Ru X Blu)" | 
|
by RuPaul & Blu Hydrangea |
External Links
References
| Winner | The Vivienne |
|---|---|
| Runners-Up | 2nd: Divina De Campo • 3rd: Baga Chipz |
| Other Queens | 4th: Cheryl Hole • 5th: Blu Hydrangea (Miss Congeniality) • 6th: Crystal • 7th: Sum Ting Wong • 8th: Vinegar Strokes • 9th: Scaredy Kat • 10th: Gothy Kendoll |
| Judges | RuPaul • Michelle Visage • Alan Carr • Graham Norton |
| Brit Crew | Archie • AJ Bediako • Ashraf Ejjabair • Matt Lister • Mitch Marion • Tom Scanlon • Niko Wirachman |
| Winner | Blu Hydrangea |
|---|---|
| Runners-Up | 2nd: Mo Heart • 3rd & 4th: Baga Chipz & Jujubee |
| Other Queens | 5th: Janey Jacké • 6th: Pangina Heals • 7th: Jimbo • 8th: Cheryl Hole • 9th: Lemon |
| Judges | RuPaul • Michelle Visage • Alan Carr • Graham Norton |
