RuPaul’s Drag Race shows no signs of slowing down, but if you’re a long-time watcher, you might be a little confused because a mainstay of the series just disappeared. Here’s what you need to know about why Santino Rice left RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Why Santino Rice Left RuPaul’s Drag Race

For all those nosy fans out there, there unfortunately has never been an official explanation from RuPaul, the makers of the show, or Santino Rice himself as to why he left the show. That’s pretty strange because fashion designer and TV personality Santino Rice had a pretty major role in the first few seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race. He was a judge on Seasons 1-6 and a guest in Season 7, and then nothing.

Since then, the show’s judges have been Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews, Carson Kressley, RuPaul, and, more recently, Ts Madison. Matthews and Kressley have all been on-board for 11 seasons, while Visage has been around for 15.

Visage was also around when Rice was a judge, but they have yet to say anything about Santino Rice’s departure. Googling the topic reveals speculation from fans and insiders about what went down, but there’s nothing solid to explain his departure anywhere on the Internet. It’s possible that, at some point in the future, Rice will share details, but nothing has cropped up on his social media, and it’s been nine years since he left the show.

So, while RuPaul’s Drag Race rolls on, concluding its 16th season in April 2024, it’s doing so without Santino Rice, and there’s no official explanation as to why he left. If you’re interested in more reality TV-realted content, here’s where The Circle is filmed.