RuPauls Drag Race Star Dies at 51

Down Under star Maxi Shield has died following a valiant battle with .

The beloved entertainer, real name Kristopher Elliot, passed away on Saturday, February 21, five months after he began chemotherapy.

Elliot's death was confirmed on in a statement from a close friend.

'We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of our beloved Maxi Shield's passing,' they began.

'In all my years in this community, there has never been a time I can remember when Maxi wasn't an iconic presence (and she'd absolutely smack you for reminding her of that).

'Maxi worked across every queer venue in , touching hearts not only across the country but around the world through her appearance on Drag Race Down Under.

They finished by saying the Sydney social scene would be a lesser place without Maxi's presence.

'This Mardi Gras will feel different. It will be more solemn, as so many of us gather carrying the space left by her smile, her quick wit, and her remarkable spirit,' they wrote. 

'Maxi was a big personality with a heart of gold. I'm heartbroken that the world won't get to see this legend light up a stage again, and that I won't get to share another giggle over lunch with my friend.

'Her love, humour, and her impact live on through the incredible Sydney talent she directly influenced, and through the scene she helped shape with such passion. She was a force. She was brilliant. I will miss my friend dearly.'

Maxi starred on the inaugural season of the hit  reality TV series in 2021, in which she finished in sixth place.

Prior to that she had long been involved in Sydney's vibrant queer scene, and appeared as a drag queen in a 2005 episode of the Channel Seven drama All Saints.

She also appeared on the ABC series You Can't Ask That and the US talk show Tongue Thai'd. 

In September, she posted a heartbreaking update to social media, revealing she was undergoing chemotherapy as her cancer condition continued to worsen.