Growing up and watching Eurovision was an important yearly ritual; I expected fun, campness, and spectacle, but one thing I never expected was for the United Kingdom to win. I have come to expect forgettable performances that receive points in the single digits, but perhaps there is hope for the UK in the form of three drag queens: Blu Hydrangea, Baga Chipz, and Divina de Campo, also known as the Frock Destroyers.

Despite having won the contest five times, the UK’s record has been considerably poorer over the past twenty years, with only two top ten finishes in the 21st century, and one school of nul points in 2003. It is safe to say that if winning is our aim at Eurovision, we are doing something wrong.

Since the 1950s, the UK has chosen its entry through a public vote, but after years of poor performance, the BBC announced in 2019 that they would no longer hold a public contest, and that the UK entry would be chosen internally. It was later announced that James Newman would represent the UK in the 2020 contest that was scheduled to be held in Rotterdam, but the BBC has not confirmed if Newman will still represent the UK in the 2021 contest, instead teasing news of this year’s act and song on twitter. This has left fans speculating that a different act has been chosen for this year, with the Frock Destroyers being a favourite among many.

The Frock Destroyers are a band that were originally formed on Rupaul’s Drag Race UK season 1, on which they performed the song ‘Break Up (Bye Bye)’, which was massively popular with fans of the show, reaching the top 40 in the UK. The group has established themselves as a musical act beyond Drag Race, performing together and releasing two subsequent singles and an album. The choice would make sense, given the popularity of Eurovision among the LGBTQ+ community as well as the fact that the BBC, who aired Drag Race UK, are in charge of picking the UK’s Eurovision entry, yet some fans on twitter condemned the potential choice.

A major criticism of the potential choice of the Frock Destroyers to represent the UK is that we need to take Eurovision seriously, treating it like a serious music competition, rather than as a joke, but Eurovision is a joke in the best possible way. Yes, there are some brilliant acts, including world famous artists such as ABBA and Celine Dion, but there are also so many wonderful, silly acts—everyone remembers the Russian grannies, but who remembers anything about the UK’s entry that year? The great thing about Eurovision is that the silly and the serious coexist, creating the magic we wait all year for.

Aside from this, a performer appearing in drag does not automatically mean they cannot be serious. Sure the Frock Destroyers have a silly name and their music tends to be lighthearted, but they are not a joke act, just as Conchita Wurst, who won while performing in drag in 2014, was not a joke act. Many aspects of drag performance that are often seen as over-the-top normally—crazy costumes, stunts and dances—are normal in Eurovision, and part of the reason the contest is so popular within the LGBTQ+ community. Writing off drag queens as too silly for Eurovision also writes off much of the contest itself.

But above all this, the biggest reason the Frock Destroyers should be chosen to represent the UK in Eurovision 2021 is because they would be something different. The UK has clearly been doing something wrong when it comes to Eurovision for the past 20 years, and maybe injecting a bit of fun in the form of three drag queens is what we need to avoid the bottom spot.

*Please note that since this article was written, it has been announced that James Newman will be representing the UK at the Eurovision 2021 Song Contest*

Check out similar TV articles here:

Authenticity in Casting: Can Straight Actors Play Gay Characters?

Review: Canada’s Drag Race

Nicola Adams and the Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation on Television