Tragedies of RuPaul's Drag Race stars before The Vivienne's death
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The death of The Vivienne at just 32 years old has left Drag Race fans and former contestants heartbroken. The Liverpudlian drag queen, also known as James Lee Williams, won the first-ever series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019 after impressing the judging panel with their wit, talent and polished aesthetic. They went on to star in television shows, including The Weakest Link and The Great British Sewing Bee in 2021, before participating in Drag Race All-Stars and ITV's Dancing on Ice in 2022.
They tragically died last weekend, with police confirming there are no suspicious circumstances. Sharing the heartbreaking news on Instagram, the star's publicist and close friend Simon Jones wrote: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. James was an incredibly loved, warmhearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle.".
Sadly, the Drag Race legend's devastating death is just the latest in a string of drag queen's from the series around the globe who have lost their lives at a young age. Here, we look back at the stars who have died since leaving the programme. The Vivienne chose their drag name due to their love of the British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. They previously told the BBC, "Everyone used to call me Vivienne, as I was head to toe in Westwood. So when I started doing drag it was a natural progression. I didn't want one of those cheap, nasty, sl***y drag names so I thought of 'The Vivienne' and here she is, there's only one of them.".
