'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' Season 1 Winner The Vivienne Has Passed Away at the Age of 32
The Vivienne was known as James Lee Williams outside of their life as a performer.
Published Jan. 6 2025, 7:27 a.m. ET
On Jan. 6, 2025, the rep for James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne on RuPaul's Drag Race UK and in the entertainment world, wrote on social media that the star passed away. They were 32 years old. But what happened to The Vivienne, and what did the rep say about their passing exactly? Celebrities have shared their condolences online following the news.
The UK installment of RuPaul's Drag Race premiered in 2019. When The Vivienne competed, they were around 27 years old, but even before that, they were named the UK drag ambassador for the series. They went on to continue their career as a performer up until their unexpected death in January 2025. So, what happened to The Vivienne? Read on for everything to know.
What happened to The Vivienne from 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK'?
On Jan. 6, The Vivienne's rep, Simon Jones, shared news of their passing on X (formerly Twitter).
"It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams The Vivienne, has passed this weekend," he shared in a statement. 'James was an incredibly loved, warm- hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career."
He added that the family would be releasing no further details about The Vivienne's death and that they want privacy to grieve and process at this time. No cause of death has been given, however it's clear that The Vivienne's death was unexpected and sudden for their loved ones and that there was possibly no underlying illness.
Later, local police reportedly confirmed that there were "no suspicious circumstances" regarding what happened to the reality star and performer.
The Vivienne performed on-stage and on television during their career.
Following The Vivienne's success on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, they continued to perform as the character they named after designer Vivienne Westwood. They played the Wicked Witch of the West in a stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in the UK, and they appeared in numerous reality shows following their Drag Race win. Following the news of their passing, the official Instagram account for RuPaul's Drag Race shared a statement about The Vivienne.
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Vivienne," the statement said. "Her talent, humor, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration. She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity she embodied what it means to be a true champion. Our hearts go out to her family and fans during this difficult time."