MANILA, Philippines — Eat Bulaga host, and actor Paolo Ballesteros has been selected as the host of Drag Race Philippines, which will premiere on WOW Present Plus on August 17th.
The show’s social media pages released a photo of Ballesteros wearing an outfit depicting several Manila landmarks, such as the Rizal Park Monument and the Manila Clock Tower.
The noontime show host also told his Instagram followers about the news.
Ballesteros was a popular choice to host the show since he is already well-known in drag make-up and fashion.
He starred in the 2016 film “Die Beautiful” in which he played a transgender beauty queen. This role won him the award for best actor at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Former RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor Jiggly Caliente, who will also serve as a Drag Race PH judge, has voiced her excitement about Ballesteros’ hosting duties.
Meanwhile, the identities of the remaining judging panel members have not yet been revealed.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is a reality competition for drag queens where they have to perform on stage with funny lip-syncing and dancing. It was launched successfully by RuPaul and World of Wonder in 2009 and presently has 14 seasons.
The series also has adaptations in Holland, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
The Philippine version will add more excitement to viewers with their An Untucked Series; this spin-off focuses on footage of the queens’ backstage chats during the judges’ post-critique deliberations and additional behind-the-scenes footage and drama involving the drag contestants.