There’s a new reality drag competition series on the way from OUTtv.

 Over eight weekly episodes, Call Me Mother will find 10 diverse drag queens vying for a position in one of three new drag houses – Dulcet, Glass and Harmonie – making it the first drag competition to offer queens as mentors.

 Farra N Hyte of Toronto’s House of Hytes joins the cast as judge and choreographer as Miss Peppermint (House of Dulcet), Crystal (House of Glass) and Barbada de Barbades (House of Harmonie) mentor a new generation of drag performers. Each house will compete as a family in a series of challenges designed to test their artistry and elevate their drag. The mother of the losing house in the competition then must choose which member of their own drag family will be eliminated.

The eventual winner will be crowned “First Child of Drag” and win a $50,000 grand prize package.

The unscripted reality series, produced by Go Button Media and based on a format by RedFlame TV, will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight Canada’s Dallas Dixon.

Dixon and Farra N Hyte will also team up for the weekly Mom’s the Word podcast, featuring show insights and interviews with eliminated contestants.

Contestants include Toronto wig master and costume designer Calypso Cosmic; “Two Spirit” Goddess Ella Lamoureux from Kelowna; Edmonton activist Felicia Bonée; Montréal graphic novelist HercuSleaze; Ottawa chef and designer Kiki Coe; Trois Rivières acting student Narcissa Wolfe; Richmond Hill “pretty pop princess” Rosie; Toronto-based Fijian Sanjina Dabish Queen; Vancouver non-binary drag performer, a comedian, and a classically trained opera singer, Toddy and Calgary “larger than life cartoon diva” Valerie Hunt.

Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations are on board as official series sponsors, and contestants will have access to WigZaddy and Wella Company hair products; BPerfect Cosmetics; Nightshade Designs shoes and accessories from Clack That Fan and Elea’s Closet.

Each mentor suggests that Call Me Mother will offer an all-inclusive approach and provide a revealing and humane at drag life not necessarily focused on in other series.

“We set out to find all types of drag, all backgrounds, all styles. This includes gender expansive performers” said Miss Peppermint, mother of the House of Dulcet, in a statement.

“One of things I loved about this show was the real focus on support and collaboration – there’s a focus on nurturing and bringing the best out of our adopted children,” added Crystal, mother of the House of Glass. “We’re making REAL drag families with all the drama, hilarity and emotion that entails! Prepare yourself – every elimination is heartbreaking! We had an amazing time making this show and I’m sure everyone is going to LOVE it.”

“Call Me Mother is a different kind of drag competition,” said Barbada de Barbades, mother of the House of Harmonie. “It not only showcases the artistic aspect of drag, including the dresses, the hair and the makeup, but also the community, the family and the human aspects of the drag world. Viewers will discover amazing and flamboyant drag artists, and some of the most wonderful human beings.”

In an interview with Playback Daily, OUTtv CMO Anthony Jiwa echoes de Barbades’ sentiment that the series offers much more involvement than other drag reality competition shows.

“The mothers take a very active role in coaching all the way through, rather than just being judges,” Jiwa explains. “Another big difference is the diversity. Each of the types of drag and the types of artists that are featured in the show, which is something we have not typically seen in other drag culture shows.”

Jiwa says Call Me Mother fulfills a mandate for viewers to challenge the network by providing more variety.

“We always want to deliver and challenge our viewers by providing different things, and that’s what our viewers have challenged us with, ” he says. “With a series like Dragula or Drag Heals, our viewers have come back to us and said, ‘we want to see more different types of drag.’ So, shows like Call Me Mother definitely fills that remit and programs like The Villbergs Chronicles, which has like a Swedish drag duo, provides a very different type and foray into that artistry, to show the breadth and diversity of the queer community, specifically in drag as well. We always want to reflect our audience in our programming and Call Me Mother is a program that we feel does that very well.”

Aimed at the 18-to-34 demographic of the LGBTQ community, Jiwa says that Call Me Mother will premiere simultaneously in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland ( the latter two via Free TV.) Call Me Mother premieres Monday (Oct. 25) at 9 p.m. on OUTtv, the OUTtv Apple TV Channel and the OUTtv Amazon Prime Channel.