NZ'S DRAG ROYALTY 'THERE ARE PLANS FOR KIDS!'

Nick and Shameel Kennedy-Hall, better known as Anita Wigl'it and Ivanna Drink, dish about their life together

First came the tinder date for drag Nick and Shameel F sensations Kennedy-Hall, then the romantic bar proposal and overseas travel, followed by purchasing their dream villa and taking turns starring on hit television series RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under.

Now, the much-loved couple, better known by their stage names Anita Wigl'it and Ivanna Drink, have another milestone up their sleeves, becoming first-time parents!

"There's plans for children and I want three, while Nick wants two," laughs Shameel, 27, who works at a bank when he's not entertaining audiences as the loud and fabulous Ivanna Drink. "Kids gravitate towards him because he has such a kind, patient and child-like personality. I'm more of the hard one, apparently.

"We're leaning towards surrogacy, or I'd love to give a child a home who needs one, but we're also aware the surrogate and adoption laws in New Zealand are outdated."

By the time the couple will be ready to become doting dads in a few years, they're hoping it'll be easier for gay couples to fulfil their parenthood dreams in Aotearoa, since they have friends advocating for change.

In the meantime, the Auckland couple of eight years are focusing on their most recent highlight, Shameel's debut television role on the latest series of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, which British-born Nick, 32, also competed on as an audience favourite in the first season during 2021.

"Nick went home for the sewing challenge, so before going on the show, I learnt to sew," teases Shameel, dad to adorably fluffy Japanese spitz dogs Koko and Lockie.

"But you can't ever really understand the experience until you're in it. It was a lot of fun and I'd do it all again. Plus, every drag queen wants to meet RuPaul!"