Cherry West: Scotland’s Youngest Drag Queen on performing, Pride, and reality TV

What does it take to find your purpose before you've even left school? In this episode of Who Are You (Wearing?), Alice Cruickshank is joined by Cherry West, Scotland's youngest drag queen. Cherry began performing in drag at just 13 years old and has since built a career that has taken her across Scotland and beyond, while also becoming one of the breakout stars of the BBC series The Agency: Unfiltered. Using fashion as a starting point, Cherry reflects on the realities of life as a drag performer, including the pressure not to outfit repeat, the cost of keeping up appearances, and why delivering a memorable performance will always matter more than what you're wearing. The conversation explores Cherry's journey from discovering drag as a teenager to launching an events company at just 15 years old, finding confidence through performance, and learning to build a career on her own terms. Cherry also shares what it was like filming The Agency: Unfiltered, the opportunities the show has brought, and why visibility and community remain so important. As Pride celebrations continue around the world, Cherry discusses why Pride is more important than ever and the role drag can play in bringing people together, creating joy and challenging perceptions. In this episode: Starting a drag career at 13 The realities of being Scotland's youngest drag queen The pressure not to repeat outfits in drag culture Why performance matters more than appearance Building an events company at 15 Finding confidence, purpose and ambition at a young age Behind the scenes of The Agency: Unfiltered Why Pride is more important than ever About the podcast Who Are You (Wearing?) is the fashion podcast that's not really about clothes. Hosted by Scottish presenter, journalist and producer Alice Cruickshank, the show uses fashion as a lens to explore identity, ambition, creativity and the stories that shape us. Through conversations with figures from entertainment, arts, culture and media, each episode uncovers the experiences behind the public image. Follow Cherry West on TikTok and Instagram. Her upcoming show, Cherry West: A Star on the Rise is on at Churchill Theatre, Edinburgh on 10/10. Stream The Agency: Unfiltered on iPlayer.  Follow Who Are You (Wearing?) on TikTok and Instagram. Subscribe for new episodes.