Very unhappy information this week out of the truth tv universe:
James Lee Williams — higher recognized by their stage identify The Vivienne, who received the first-ever RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 — has handed away.
They had been 32 years previous.
Williams’ demise was confirmed by supervisor Simon Jones, who wrote through Instagram over the weekend that his shopper was not with us.
“It’s with immense unhappiness that we let you understand our beloved James Lee Williams, The Vivienne, has handed away this weekend,” reads the message.
“James was an extremely beloved, warmhearted and superb individual. Their household are heartbroken on the lack of their son, brother and uncle. They’re so happy with the fantastic issues James achieved of their life and profession. We won’t be releasing any additional particulars.
“We please ask that James’s household are given the time and privateness they now have to course of and grieve.”
No explanation for demise has been introduced on the time of this writing.
On January 6, the Emmy-winning host of this beloved actuality present shared a tribute to the late champion.
“With a damaged coronary heart, I be part of your complete Drag Race universe in mourning the lack of The Vivienne,” RuPaul wrote, ending the publish by calling the late entertainer “an extremely gifted queen and a beautiful human being.”
On the aforementioned present, The Vivienne was recognized for comedy and vocal impersonations — notably that of Donald Trump — and opened up a couple of wrestle with substance abuse and restoration.
“The Viv is an ideal instance of a twenty first century British Queen,” RuPaul mentioned in the course of the 2019 finale.
Previous to their passing, The Vivienne returned to compete on Drag Race as a part of the All Stars 7 solid in 2022, marking the primary time the sequence gathered a gaggle of earlier winners competing to grow to be the primary queen to win the present… twice.
Total now, a complete of vie Drag Race franchise contestans have died for the reason that sequence launched in 2009, together with:
- Drag Race Thailand competitor Bandit 2023
- Season 2 contestant Sahara Davenport in 2012
- Season 8 and All Stars 3 winner Chi Chi DeVayne in 2020
- Drag Race UK competitor Cherry Valentine in 2022.
“These are phrases I by no means ever needed to jot down,” Jones added in a follow-up assertion.
“Viv was an in depth good friend, a shopper and somebody I beloved very a lot. From the second I met them in 2019, I knew we may create magic collectively and I turned their supervisor. Their expertise was immense and the sunshine they introduced to each room was astonishing.
“Nobody has ever made me snigger in my life as a lot as Viv did. Their comedian genius and fast wit was like no different.”
