VH1 Ruveals Gag-Worthy ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 5 Format Twist

Oh y’all wanted a twist, eh? We knew RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 was going to serve a major shakeup to the format, and now the twist is here. The new season of the show, premiering on VH1 on June 5, will permanently alter the rules in a truly mind-bending way—one that will definitely up the drama. VH1 ruvealed the rule change ahead of the season premiere, so let’s get into it!

All Star rules, which have been in effect since Season 2, will be permanently upended and suspended for All Stars 5. Previously, RuPaul would name two winners per week and those top two queens would lip sync for their legacy. The winner of the lip sync would get a cash tip and would eliminate one of the bottom queens of their choosing.

For All Stars 5, however, RuPaul will only name one winner per challenge. That winner will then lip sync for her legacy against—and here is the gag—a legendary Drag Race lip sync assassin that will be ruvealed on the runway. If the All Stars queen wins the lip sync, they will receive the usual $10,000 cash tip and will send one of the bottom queens home. However, if the assassin wins the lip sync, then one of the bottom queens will be sent home via a secret ballot cast by her All Stars castmates. What happens to the $10,000 if the assassin wins? That money rolls over to be added to the next week’s, and will be claimed by the next All Stars queen that slays an assassin.

This is a major rule change, and it will inevitably keep the queens on their toes. Knowing that the eliminated queen will be voted on by the entire cast should the assassin win the lip sync means that all the All Stars competitors will have to come up with new strategies. No more one-on-one alliances, because now there’s essentially a weekly jury that needs to be impressed just in case!

VH1 also revealed the identities of the superstar celebrity guest judges that will sashay their way to the mainstay for All Stars 5. The season kicks off with superstar Ricky Martin, who will be present to judge the inaugural challenge (a “Werq the World” talent show). Following Martin, the season’s guest judges include Tessa Thompson, Madison Beer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Nicole Byer, Sarah Hyland, Tommy Dorfman, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Bebe Rexha, Jane Krakowski, Sam Richardson, and Todrick Hall.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 cast includes Alexis Mateo (Season 3, All Stars 1), Blair St. Clair (Season 10), Derrick Barry (Season 8), India Ferrah (Season 3), Jujubee (Season 2, All Stars 1), Mariah Paris Balenciaga (Season 3), Mayhem Miller (Season 10), Miz Cracker (Season 10), Ongina (Season 1) and Shea Couleé (Season 9).

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 premieres on VH1 on Friday, June 5 at 8 PM ET on VH1 (remember, not Showtime, y’all!).

Where to stream RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars