Drag Race’s Courtney Act presents on CBBC 20 years after losing children’s TV job for doing drag

Drag queen taught a lesson on well-being for CBBC’s ‘Celebrity Supply Teacher’

RuPaul’s Drag Race star Courtney Act has praised the BBC for allowing her to present on children’s TV show Celebrity Supply Teacher in drag.

Courtney, whose real name is Shane Jenek, rose to fame in 2003 after appearing on the first season of Australian Idol. She then went on to reach the final of the sixth season of Drag Race in 2013.

As part of Celebrity Supply Teacher, the drag queen joined the likes of Bruno Tonioli, Ellie Simmonds and Gemma Collins in teaching 10-minute virtual lessons for children who may be missing school due to coronavirus.

Courtney’s episode, which aired on CBBC on Thursday (19 November), saw the performer teach on the subject of well-being, with the connection to children’s TV proving to have special resonance for her.

Sharing a clip from the show on social media, Courtney wrote: “Twenty years ago I lost my job hosting children’s TV (as Shane) after photos of me in drag were published in the newspaper.

“Here we are in 2020 and @cbbc have asked me to be a Celebrity Supply Teacher and teach a lesson about kindness, acceptance and celebrating difference!”

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She continued: “I was a bit nervous because of all the negative messages I had picked up about queer people not being appropriate for kids, then I realised – this is exactly why I should be doing this. Thank you BBC for this opportunity! #fullcircle.”

During the lesson, the drag queen spoke to CBBC viewers about the importance of celebrating their differences, saying: “[It’s] all the different things that define who you are.”