Very sad news from the world of reality television this week:
James Lee Williams – better known by his stage name The Vivienne, who won the first-ever RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 – has died.
He was 32 years old.
Williams’ death was confirmed by manager Simon Jones, who wrote via Instagram over the weekend that his client is no longer with us.
The message read, “It is with great sadness that we tell you that our beloved James Lee Williams, The Vivienne, passed away this weekend.”
“James was an incredibly loving, warm and wonderful person. His family is deeply saddened by the loss of their son, brother and uncle. James is very proud of the amazing things he has accomplished in his life and career. We will not release any further details.
“We please request that James’s family be given time and privacy to process and grieve.”
No cause of death has been announced at the time of this writing.
On January 6, the Emmy-winning host of the beloved reality show paid tribute to the late champion.
“With a broken heart, I join the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of The Vivienne,” RuPaul wrote, ending the post by calling the late entertainer “an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being.”
On the aforementioned show, Vivienne was known for comedy and vocal impersonation – particularly of Donald Trump – and she spoke openly about her struggle with substance abuse and recovery.
RuPaul said during the 2019 finale, “Viv is a perfect example of a 21st century British queen.”
Prior to her demise, Vivienne returned to compete in Drag Race in 2022 as part of the All Stars 7 cast, marking the first time that the series assembled a group of past winners to become the first queen to win the show. Were competing for…twice.
Now, in total, V Drag Race franchise contestants have died since the series began in 2009, including:
- Drag Race Thailand Contestant Bandit 2023
- Season 2 contestant Sahara Davenport in 2012
- Chi Chi DeWayne, winner of Season 8 and All Stars 3 in 2020
- Drag Race UK contestant Cherie Valentine in 2022.
“These are words I never wanted to write,” Jones said in a follow-up statement.
“Viv was a close friend, a customer and someone I loved very much. From the moment I met him in 2019, I knew we could create magic together and I became his manager. His talent was immense and the light he brought to every room was astonishing.
“Nobody in my life has ever made me laugh as much as Viv did. His comedic talent and quick wit were like no other.”