RuPaul says his 'heart is broken' following death of The Vivienne
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RuPaul has said his "heart is broken" following the death of former Drag Race winner, The Vivienne. The drag queen and TV presenter said on Instagram on Monday he joined the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of The Vivienne, whom he called "an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being".
The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, won the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019. Read more: The Vivienne's rise as a drag 'trailblazer'. The 32-year-old's death was confirmed by their publicist Simon Jones on Sunday evening. Danny Beard, who won the reality show in 2022, called The Vivienne "a proper entertainer" and "one of the most passionate, talented, geeky, girls I've ever known" and their death meant "there's a piece missing now".
Cheddar Gorgeous, that year's runner-up, said on Instagram they had lost "a peer, a friend and an icon", adding that "the entire world of entertainment grieves" and it was "impossible to make sense of such sadness". Bagachipz said on social media they would "talk to you before I go onstage for every single show I do", calling The Vivienne a "powerhouse when you hit that stage".
The Vivienne's ex-husband, David Ludford, said the performer "made me feel love and shown me what it was really like to love someone". The Vivienne, 32, rose to prominence in 2015 after becoming the UK Drag Ambassador for the American series of RuPaul's Drag Race.
