Share
17th March 2025
05:16pm GMT
Drag Race star James Lee Williams, better known as The Vivienne died from a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine, their family confirmed.
Sister Chanel Williams said her family "continue to be completely devastated" by the death of the 32-year-old and will be working with a substance abuse charity to raise awareness of the dangers of the drug.
The RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner was found dead at their home in Cheshire in January.
Celebrities and fans around the world flocked to social media to pay tribute to the star.
An inquest is scheduled to take place in June. Cheshire Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the performer's death.
The star's manager, Simon Jones said the family felt it was important to share the circumstances of their death.
He said: "I hope by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body."
The 32-year-old grew up in Colwyn Bay, north Wales before moving to Liverpool and winning the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019.
They went on to have a successful career in TV and theatre as well as competing on the US version of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Their family said they "brought the sparkle to life" and will be missed "for eternity" during an emotional vigil in Liverpool shortly after Williams' death.
The Vivienne was praised for raising awareness of substance abuse during their time competing on series one of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, where they openly discussed how they sought help for their ketamine addiction.
The family now hope to continue this legacy by working with substance abuse charity Adferiad on a campaign aimed at opening up conversations about substance abuse and addiction.
Explore more on these topics:
