WITH RuPaul's Drag Race UK being cult Thursday night viewing on BBC Three, a drag queen from Smithills has praised the show for bringing drag into mainstream pop culture.
At the age of 18, James Bewley - known as Kardi Acarrest - is a newcomer to the drag scene but he's already taken part in virtual shows around the world during lockdown.
James first got into drag when he was 14 and he came across RuPaul's show, which was first broadcast in the USA.
Initially thinking the show would be about cars, he unknowingly made his first step into the world of drag and didn't look back.
Currently studying media hair and make up at Preston College, James balances his drag artistry with his studies and a part-time job with Asda.
Bolton-based drag queen Kardi Acarrest
James said: "I'm James by day, Kardi by night - a bit like Batman . I've lived in Bolton my whole life and it's not somewhere you come across drag that often.
"Growing up the only drag artists I saw were the odd pantomime dame or Lily Savage on TV.
"But when I came across RuPaul's Drag Race I found it really inspiring, what appealed to me was how creative you could be with it.
Graham Norton, Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Elizabeth Hu
"So I started at 14 with just playing around with make up, but now I do the full drag.
"It's great because you can have this alter ego and live your normal life during the week, then at the weekend you can transform into someone else.
"I came up with my name because sometimes people would come up to me and mistake me for a biological woman, and they would be really surprised when I spoke.
"I thought, one of these days I'm going to give someone a cardiac arrest with the shock and so the name came about."
With over 2,000 followers on Instagram, Kardi Acarrest caught the attention of fellow Bolton drag queen Britt Svenson, the alter ego of Oliver Atlas, 19.
The pair are hoping that Bolton's developing drag scene could see dedicated spaces and events for the art form.
Bolton-based drag queen Britt Svenson
James added: "I definitely think RuPaul's Drag Race has introduced more people to drag who may not have been aware of it before.
"People are more accepting of drag now.
"I think it would be good if there could be place in Bolton for drag events, where people could just be themselves without being judged.
"Before the pandemic I used to travel to Manchester for drag shows, so to be able to put them on in Bolton would be amazing."
You can follow Kardi Acarrest on Instagram @kardi.acarrest
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