'Iconic in our region' - RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star wears dress inspired by Tyne and Wear Metro
A drag performer from South Shields has brought a distinctly North East flair to the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK—by stepping onto the main stage in a dress inspired by the Tyne and Wear Metro’s bright yellow livery.
Sally TM made her debut on the BBC Three show when its seventh season premiered on Thursday, 25 September. The 27-year-old, who has been performing in drag for a decade, paid tribute to her hometown by wearing a custom-made outfit styled after the region’s new Metro trains.
“The dress was entirely inspired by the new Metro trains and I hope that the viewers liked it,” she said. “It was such a huge honour for me to be able to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race, which is an iconic show and one that I have always wanted to appear on.”
Sally, who regularly commutes on the Metro between South Shields and Newcastle, said the outfit was a way to highlight something she sees as central to the identity of the region.
“I thought to myself it would be great to pay homage to the Metro as it was the first ultra-modern light rail system in the country,” she added. “It’s quite a sleek and modern design that I came up with.
“It’s like a kind of retro futurism in its appearance. I had this dress made especially for going on the show. I really love the yellow of the Metro and wanted to pay tribute to something which has been so instrumental and iconic in the story of our region.”
Metro operator Nexus welcomed the nod, saying it was pleased to see the system’s colour scheme reach a wider audience. Lynne Dickinson, Station Delivery Manager at Nexus, said: “We’re over the moon that Sally was inspired by the new Metro trains with her dress for RuPaul’s Drag Race.
“When we heard about this we thought it was fantastic that the famous yellow of the Metro was going to be part of such a massive show – and we have Sally to thank for that.”
Nexus also allowed Sally access to its Learning Centre in South Shields during filming, where she recorded video content ahead of the show’s broadcast. “Supporting diversity and inclusion is at the heart of what we do,” Dickinson added.
Sally avoided elimination in the season’s opening episode, securing her place in the second week of the competition. Speaking to the BBC about her drag persona, she described her style as blending the visual impact of video games with alternative drag traditions.
“I embody the art, fun and graphic nature of video games. I represent the underbelly of classic drag – the alternative,” she said. “I'm here to represent all of those Geordie queens who are ingenious, creative, a bit clowny, and a bit kooky. I want to showcase that anyone who has an alternative bone in their body can make it on to Drag Race.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK continues weekly on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, with judges RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton returning to assess the queens through a variety of challenges.