To fans of RuPaul's drag Race, Michelle Visage is known as the First Lady of drag.

The flamboyant, critical but fair judge on the popular programme never fails to tell contestants where they're going wrong and how to put things right. 

It's no wonder then that she's been training hard for an upcoming festive tour, scheduled to start in Glasgow next week. 

Michelle, along with a host of Drag Race stars - Alaska, Katya and Manila Luzon to name a few - will take to the stage at the O2 Academy on December 3. 

Glasgow Times:

The queens are sure to receive a warm welcome in Glasgow to kick of the tour, with Scottish fans renowned for their support of the show. 

Michelle said: "Scottish fans, and glasgow fans, are incredible.

“At this point the Queens know what to expect. Everyone knows the Glaswegians love us and we love them. “But people were shocked at first when they came over as they didn’t know how big Drag Race was in Glasgow, or Scotland.

“You would go to shows and people were freaking out, and it’s still like that.

“We’re pretty lucky. It’s a fleeting moment in time and I want everyone to appreciate of that.

“Glaswegians are amazing, amazing fans. They are so hard core.”

The Christmas Queens performance, explains Michelle, isn't "just a bar show". 

The team have been preparing for months for the theatre-style performance, complete with choreographed routines, specially written and performed festive songs and bucket-loads of sparkle.

“I love a bar queens show, I love supporting local drag queens and I’m not saying anything negative about that.” Explained Michelle.

“However, you get a choreographed show, it will be festive and fun and it’s a night at the theatre actually.

“Everyone has done tonnes to get ready for this.

“We had a massive rehearsal schedule, we had to record the Christmas Queens album – Christmas Queens 2 is what we’re going out to promote.

“We have done so much and it’s not even started yet!”

Glasgow Times:

For decades drag performers have been limited to performing mainly in gay bars, rarely being given an audience at mainstream venues.

But since the rise in popularity of Drag Race and drag culture, hundreds of drag queens, both on and off the show, are gaining notoriety in their home towns and across the world.

The success of the programme, and the popularity of drag culture as a result, hasn't come as a surprise to Michelle. 

She explained: “When people ask me that I sound pompous when I say yes, but I fully expected it to be successful.

“I know how important this type of show is to a whole bunch of people who were lost and were looking or their family.

“Not just gay people either.

“People like myself who felt like they never fit in and never had a place, and then they watch Drag Race and realise they’re not alone. I knew this show would be important.”

Michelle added that the show has had an impact on drag culture in terms of helping people improve themselves, and getting inspiration from a growing number of people trying out drag and honing their talents.

She explained: “Drag was always drag, people did their own thing but what its done is encouraged people to be better than they were before.

"I’m not a fan of when people see things and change themselves and fit into a mould but I am a fan of trying to change themselves for the better.”

“For me it’s fun. It’s living. It’s not just existing.”

Tickets for the Christmas Queens show, starting at £35, are available via See Tickets