After making his debut last year, the fan-favorite judge is back by popular demand in a greater capacity for Season 17.

Law Roach Joins Drag Race as a Permanent Judge

Fans have asked and RuPaul has answered! Law Roach will be joining the judging panel of RuPaul’s Drag Race in a more permanent capacity. The image architect, who previously served as a judge on America’s Next Top Model and Legendary, and has styled the likes of Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy and Celine Dion, has become a new Drag Race staple in Season 17.

“I am not the special guest judge,” Roach told Parade exclusively in the lead-up to Episode 6, airing on Friday. “I am sitting next to Ru, and Hunter Schafer is the special guest judge this episode.” Roach described his new position as “rotating.”

Roach will be occupying what he calls the “third seat,” the chair on the panel next to RuPaul, usually filled by Ross Matthews, Carson Kressley or Ts Madison, the semi-regular judges who rotate throughout the season. The occupant of this alternating seat joins RuPaul, Michelle Visage and the special guest judge each week in critiquing the competing queens.

“I think that it was also kind of shocking for the queens to come out and see me in that third seat,” Roach continues. “It felt good to sit next to Mama Ru.”

When asked if he would appear in future episodes this season, Roach says, “I don’t know what I can say. But I mean, we all know what that third seat represents.”

Law Roach made his first appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race last year during Season 16. After his debut, fans and contestants alike asked for him to be added to the show in a more permanent capacity, given the strength of his critiques. In an interview with Gay Times from November 2024, Roach said he “definitely would” become a more permanent fixture on the show if he was asked. Looking back it would appear that he’d already been asked.

The one downside of Roach joining the permanent panel is that he won’t be heading backstage to chat with the queens in Untucked. That role will go to this week’s guest judge, Schafer. “When you’re rotating, you don’t get to do that anymore,” Roach says.

While details regarding the remainder of Season 17 and future seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars remain tightly under wraps, it does appear that we’ll be getting plenty more Law Roach on our television screens, which is a win for us all.