Lawrence Chaney

Lawrence Chaney, born Lawrence Maidment on October 16, 1996, is a Scottish drag performer and author based in Glasgow. Chaney gained widespread recognition as the winner of the second series of the television competition RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Through this accomplishment, Chaney made history as the first Scottish drag queen to take the crown, as well as the second plus-size contestant in the international franchise's history to win, and the first plus-size winner of a season directly hosted by RuPaul.

Chaney spent childhood years in both Helensburgh, Scotland, and Newbury, England, before relocating to the Gorbals area of Glasgow. Publicly supportive of Scottish independence, Chaney has described their gender identity as fluid, self-reflecting that their perspective on gender remains an ongoing, evolving process of personal discovery rather than a strictly fixed classification.

Chaney's professional career as a drag artist began in Glasgow in 2014. The performer adopted the surname Chaney as an homage to silent film star Lon Chaney, noting a comparison between the actor's legacy as "the man of a thousand faces" and Chaney's own talent for impersonations, humorous voices, and physical comedy. From 2017 to 2019, Chaney produced short comedic commentary and beauty content for the award-winning digital outlet BBC The Social to spotlight Scottish drag culture. This work led to a commissioned project titled Insider's Guide, where Chaney presented local cultural highlights across Glasgow.

In December 2020, Chaney was unveiled as one of twelve contestants on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, eventually securing the victory on March 18, 2021. The performance on the series earned Chaney the 2021 BAFTA Scotland Audience Award. As a prize for winning the franchise, Chaney received a dedicated online television series, which premiered in 2022 under the title Tartan Around.

Following the Drag Race victory, Chaney appeared in press features and photo shoots for major outlets including British Vogue and The Guardian alongside fellow series finalists. In April 2021, Chaney was featured on the cover of a digital special for Attitude magazine in partnership with Taimi and participated as a panelist for National Student Pride 2021. Chaney toured extensively, participating in the United Kingdolls Tour in July 2021 with promoter Klub Kids, followed by RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour in February 2022 alongside the full series cast.

Beyond live performances and television, publishing house Transworld secured the rights in May 2021 to Chaney's memoir, titled Lawrence (Drag) Queen of Scots: The Dos and Don'ts of a Drag Superstar. Chaney has also frequently worked with the BBC, which included co-hosting a mid-morning radio slot on BBC Radio 1 in August 2021 as part of the station's Drag Day programming.