Jimbo

James Insell (born November 10, 1982), better known by the stage name Jimbo, is a Canadian designer and drag queen who competed in the first season of Canada's Drag Race, was in the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World (2022), and won the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023).

Early life and education From London, Ontario, Insell, his brother Jeff, as well as sisters Samantha and Jennifer, were born to Mary Insell and James Peter Insell (1947–2018), His father received his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Western Ontario in 1983. Respecting his father's wishes that he pursue a career-oriented education, he studied biology at the University of Western Ontario; following graduation, however, he opted not to pursue employment in the field and instead moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he began working as a costume and production designer.

Career Insell has worked predominantly in local theatre, including productions of James and the Giant Peach The Rocky Horror Show, and Ride the Cyclone but has also had credits on a number of television films produced by Front Street Pictures for the Hallmark Channel, He also appeared as the drag mother to British Columbian rapper bbno$ for the music video for his song "imma". thumb Jimbo at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2022He appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race in 2020, emerging as a popular fan favourite and winning the key Snatch Game challenge for his performance as Joan Rivers, but was eliminated from the competition in fourth place behind finalists Priyanka, Scarlett BoBo and Rita Baga. For Fierté Montréal's special online edition of its annual Drag Superstars show, which featured all of the Canada's Drag Race queens in prerecorded video performances, Jimbo performed a drag recreation of The Buggles' 1979 hit "Video Killed the Radio Star".

Following Canada's Drag Race he toured the United Kingdom as part of the Klub Kids show with Rock M Sakura and Erika Klash, and was the only queen from the season not to appear at any dates on the Canada's Drag Race Live at the Drive-In tour; however, he did participate alongside Priyanka, Scarlett Bobo and Rita Baga in an online panel discussion as part of the Just for Laughs festival.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, he also created a line of face masks through his design studio, with every purchase matched by a donation of a free mask to a homeless or low-income person, Insell has described House of Jimbo as "the framework of a kids show, but really made for adults", comparable to Pee-wee's Playhouse or The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, and the show reached its Kickstarter goal by the end of October 2020. At the same time the Chemainus-based Riot Brewing Company introduced Jimbo, a boysenberry-flavoured craft beer whose profits will go in part to funding House of Jimbo. He returned in the third season of Canada's Drag Race in 2022, appearing as a guest judge in the episode "Bitch Stole My Look".

In January 2022, he was announced as one of the nine contestants on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World. After winning the first two episodes of the season, Jimbo's early elimination was dubbed one of the most "controversial" in the history of the franchise.

Jimbo returned to the Drag Race franchise to compete on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023). After winning a record-tying 4 challenges over the course of the season, Jimbo was crowned the winner of the season and earned a cash prize of $200,000 plus $20,000 for the 4 challenges he won, totalling $220,000. In November 2023, Jimbo signed with talent agencies WME and Producer Entertainment Group.

In February 2024 Jimbo competed on Family Feud Canada, with a team consisting of his siblings Jeff and Rebecca, and Jimbo's and Jeff's husbands.

At the 2025 Just for Laughs festival, Jimbo and his Canada's Drag Race castmate Lemon taped a roast battle for the fifth season of Roast Battle Canada.

In February 2026, Jimbo was announced as a main judge on Canada's Drag Race All Stars alongside Brooke Lynn Hytes and Priyanka. This makes this panel the first all-drag queen judging panel in Drag Race history.

Filmography Television

Film Year Title RoleNotes 2026 The Snake Bon Bon Scott

Music videos Year Title Artist 2019"Open Heart"Adrian Chalifour 2022"Don't Call Me"Joseph Shepherd 2023 "True Colors" Kylie Sonique Love 2025"Big Top"Self 2025"NSFW"bbno$

Internet series

Discography All credits adapted from Spotify and Apple Music.

Singles As lead artist

As featured artist