A Brighton drag queen narrowly avoided the prospect of being eliminated from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

The remaining contestants on the BBC show had to take part in a challenge known as the Snatch Game - a parody of the game show Blankety Blank which tests skills at celebrity impersonation and improvisational comedy.

However, Pixie Polite faced criticism from the judges for an impression of Dame Shirley Bassey that “didn’t really go anywhere”.

Michelle Visage said: “There were funny moments, but I know you have more than that in you.”

Pixie admitted to the panel of judges, which included Spice Girls star Mel B, that “I think I got in my own way and didn’t allow myself to go as big as I should have done.”

In response, RuPaul said: “Going over the top in Snatch Game is really what the brief is all about.”

Talking to her fellow competitors, Pixie became emotional about the challenge and said: “I feel like s**t. I knew I hadn’t pushed it and overthinking it yet again - this is a challenge I should have been able to smash.”

Danny Beard, a friend of Pixie’s and one of the other contestants on the show, said: “I can see what she’s doing. She’s getting in her own head again.”

Despite the critiques, Pixie avoided a place in the bottom two and the prospect of lip-syncing to stay in the competition.

Dakota Schiffer, from Horsham, was deemed “safe” for an impression of Pete Burns and has also made it through to next week’s episode.

Black Peppa from Birmingham and Le Fil from Brighouse in Yorkshire both fought to stay on the show, performing to the song Stop by the Spice Girls, with Le Fil being told to “shashay away”.

Next week, the six remaining queens face one of their toughest challenges yet in the makeover challenge, where they will have to transform another person into a drag queen.

Boy George will join Michelle Visage and Graham Norton on the judging panel to help deliberate and decide who stays and who is eliminated.