Who is Melinda Verga from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3?
Melinda Verga is a Filipino-Canadian drag queen who competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3. Mike Derrada, who is his real name, was born on November 20, 1978, and is best known for competing on The Traitors Canada SN 2 and Canada’s Drag Race SN 4. On RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3, Melinda made headlines as he was the first contestant to be eliminated from the season.
How old is Melinda Verga?
Verga was born on November 20, 1978, in the Philippines, making him 47 years old as of 2026. He always celebrates his birthday on November 20 every year, and his zodiac sign is Scorpio. On her 46th birthday, Verga posted a photo of himself on his Instagram account and captioned, “Grateful for #46. ♏️♏️♏️.”
Personal Information Summary
| Real Name | Mike Derrada |
| Gender Identity | He/Him (both in and out of drag) |
| Date of Birth | November 20, 1978 |
| Age | 47 years old as of 2026 |
| Birth Place | The Philippines |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | Filipino-Canadian |
| Ethnicity | Filipino |
| Net Worth | Estimated to range between $100,000 and $ 1000,000 |
| Occupation | Drag performer, reality TV personality, entertainer Worked in the shipping industry before pursuing drag full-time |
| Reality TV Appearance | Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 (2023–2024) The Traitors Canada Season 2 (2024) RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3 (2026): |
| Social Media | Instagram and Facebook @Melinda Verga |
Early Life and Education
Verga was born on November 20, 1978, in the Philippines. She spent her formative years there before immigrating to Canada at the age of sixteen. He settled in Edmonton, Alberta, and immediately enrolled in studies in fashion design in Toronto. Information about Melinda Verga’s parents and siblings is quite limited in public sources, and he has managed to keep her family background relatively private
| Parent’s name | Father: Information not available Mother: Information not available |
| Siblings | Information not available |
Melinda Verga Partner
Verga is in an open gay relationship with Scott Green. They have been together for several years, and their relationship became widely known during Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 (2024), when Scott appeared in the family makeover challenge.
| Relationship Status | In a relationship |
| Partner | Scott Green |
| Children | Information not available |
What does Melinda Verga do to earn a living?
Verga earns a living primarily as a drag performer and has built her career through live performances, competitions, and television appearances.
Melinda Verga Career
His drag journey began in November 2015 after her debut at Evolution Wonderlounge, a well-known LGBTQ+ venue in Edmonton. Within just a few years, she won notable titles, including Mz. Gay Edmonton 2017 and Edmonton Drag Idol Winner in 2018. Her early performances also included appearances at events like Jasper Pride.
Notably, his television career began with Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 (2023–2024). One of the most emotional moments of her season came during the family makeover challenge, when her partner Scott appeared despite having suffered a stroke prior to filming. In 2024, she expanded her reality TV presence by appearing on The Traitors Canada Season 2. It’s worth noting that before transitioning into the drag world, Verga worked in the shipping industry.
Melinda Verga RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3
Verga entered the competition as a Filipino-Canadian drag queen, bringing international representation to the cast. She was among the 10 queens who were competing for the ultimate international crown: the title of “Queen of the Mothertucking World.” Her standout moment came during the second episode, where the contestants were tasked with a performance challenge. While others managed to shine, Melinda’s outing was considered weaker. Judges and fans noted that her execution lacked polish compared to her competitors. Ultimately, she landed in the bottom and was eliminated, making her the first queen to leave the competition.
Despite her short run, Melinda made headlines after she spoke out about unaired judging moments, suggesting that not all critiques were shown on television. Additionally, her elimination was discussed widely in the Drag Race community, with debates on whether she deserved more time to prove herself.
All I need to know about RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3
The BBC announced RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World Season 3 on December 24, 2025. The show premiered on January 27, 2026, and officially aired on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in the UK, as well as internationally on WOW Presents Plus. The premiere episode featured the Ruruvision Song Contest, a Eurovision-inspired challenge where queens represented their home franchises with musical performances. Occasionally, the season has brought together 10 international queens from across different countries to compete for the crown, and the tradition of “UK vs The World,” where queens from different Drag Race editions battle for global supremacy, continues.
As in previous “UK vs The World” seasons, the top queens of each week decide who goes home, adding strategic tension. Additionally, queens must impress in both maxi challenges and runway presentations, while lip-sync battles will also determine who is eliminated. The season will run for 8 episodes, each lasting about 75 minutes. Challenges range from musical performances and comedy skits to fashion runways and acting challenges. As with previous seasons,
RuPaul hosts the season, and Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, and Graham Norton return as judges. A star-studded lineup of guest judges joins them, including Loreen, JADE, Kristen McMenamy, Jayde Adams, and Rag’n’Bone Man, who assists with the Girl Group Challenge. Some of the notable contestants to watch out for include;
- Minty Fresh (Philippines),
- Fontana (Sweden),
- The Only Naomy (Germany),
- Gawdland (Thailand),
- Serena Morena (Mexico),
- Kate Butch (UK),
- Sminty Drop (UK)
- Mariah Balenciaga (US),
- Zahirah Zapanta (UK).
How Tall is Melinda Verga?
Verga is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, equaling 1.75 meters
Melinda Verga Net Worth
Verga’s net worth is estimated to range between $100,000 and $ 1000,000 as of January 2026. This wealth is primarily from his career as a drag performer, reality TV personality, and entertainer.
Social Media
Verga is gaining popularity on social media, particularly on Instagram @melindaverga, where he has over 33.4k followers. You can also follow him on his Twitter account @melindaverga, where he has about 9k followers, Facebook @Melinda Verga where he has over 40 followers, and on his TikTok page @melindaverga, where he has about 2.3k followers.