Banksie

Not to be confused with Banksy.
Banksie
Born
Jonathan Banks

Wigan, England, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
Alma materManchester School of Art
OccupationDrag queen
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race UK (series 5)

Banksie is the stage name of Jonathan Banks, a British drag performer and a contestant on series 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

Early life and education

Banksie was born in Wigan and studied at the Manchester School of Art (Manchester Metropolitan University).[1] She began performing in drag after watching early seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race.[2]

Career

Banksie is a drag performer. BBC has said, "This particular seven-foot supermodel is obsessed with all things burlesque, and loves to channel the 'dark, horrible women' of the 1930s and 1940s with a modern twist."[3] Banksie has said, "My inspirations originate from fashion in the early 90s to the 2000s. I love Thierry Mugler, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Paul Galliano. I love researching fashion and then finding a way to make it work on my body."[4] She is artistic director for the venue Firehouse on Swan Street.[5]

Banksie competed on series 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.[1] She was eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two of the Rusical challenge and losing a lip sync against DeDeLicious to "I Dreamed a Dream" by Susan Boyle.[6]

Personal life

Banksie lives in Manchester.[1] She is part of the "drag family" of Cheddar Gorgeous.[7][8] Banksie is non-binary and 6'8", but approximately seven feet tall in heels, making her one of the tallest contestants on Drag Race.[2][4]

Discography

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"Get Fruity!"[9]
(with Monopoly Phonic) 		2024 non-album single
Title Year Album
"Don't Ick My Yum (The M-52s Version)"[10]
(RuPaul featuring Kate Butch, Ginger Johnson, & Miss Naomi Carter) 		2023 non-album single
"Pant-Oh She Better Don't: The Rusical"[11] 2023 Pant-Oh She Better Don't: The Rusical Album

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race UK Herself Contestant [12]
2023 The After Shave with Danny Beard Herself Guest

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Fedeczko, Sofia. "Ru Paul's Drag Race UK: Meet Manchester's 'seven-foot supermodel' Banksie hoping to wow the judges". Manchester World. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  2. ^ a b "Meet the fierce queens of Drag Race UK season 5". Yahoo News. 2023-09-12. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  3. ^ Spencer, Samuel (2023-09-11). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 5 cast: Meet the queens battling it out for the crown". BBC Three. Archived from the original on 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  4. ^ a b "Ru Paul's Drag Race UK: Meet Manchester's 'seven-foot supermodel' Banksie hoping to wow the judges". Yahoo News. 2023-09-13. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  5. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Meet the "pretty damn tall" Mancunian queen on the new series". Mancunian Matters. 2023-09-27. Archived from the original on 2023-10-20. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  6. ^ ""Avenge me!": Drag Race UK star Banskie on exit and "heated" Untucked". Gay Times. 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ^ "'DRUK's Ginger Johnson & Banksie Tease An Epic 'Talented' Season Five". www.pride.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-30. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 5 cast – meet the new queens". Digital Spy. 2023-09-11. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  9. ^ "Get Fruity! - Single". Spotify.
  10. ^ "Don't Ick My Yum (The M-52s Version) - Single". music.apple.com.
  11. ^ "Pant-Oh She Better Don't: The Rusical". music.apple.com.
  12. ^ Spencer, Samuel (September 11, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 5 cast: Meet the queens battling it out for the crown". BBC Three. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.