The Vivienne’s rise from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner to TV star
How RuPaul's Drag Race UK first winner became one of Britain's most recognisable drag queens.
The Vivienne — real name James Lee William — was one of Britain's most recognisable drag queens, before they died aged 32 last week. RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage led the tributes to the winner of the first UK series on social media saying: "You were a beacon to so many."
Hailed as a trailblazer and an entertainer, The Vivienne grew up watching Lily Savage on TV. Their first brush with fame was as a drag queen in the film Absolutely Fabulous in 2016 and as a guest on Just Tattoo Of Us in 2017. Yet it was on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 when The Vivienne became a star.
In their own words, the drag queen — who recently starred in The Wicked Witch of the West in a touring stage production of The Wizard of Oz — described their sense of style as "a Scouse wife who has come into money, she moved to LA and blew it all and then she’s had to move back to Liverpool".
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
One of the most memorable moments on RuPaul's Drag Race UK saw The Vivienne dress up as Donald Trump for the Snatch Game as part of one of the show's challenges. Visage celebrated it as "the best Snatch Game character in the history of the show".
The Vivienne went onto be crowned the winner of the first UK edition of the show.
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The Vivienne: Former RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner dies at 32 (Sky News, 3-min read)
Drag Race star The Vivienne hailed as ‘beacon to so many’ after death aged 32 (PA, 3-min read)
The TV personality had everyone talking from the very beginning of the series, going right back to their first runway challenge where they had to dress up as Queen Elizabeth II. Putting a fun spin on the challenge, The Vivienne dressed up as Queen Elizabeth "walking around Balmoral".
The drag queen transformed into Queen Elizabeth in Scotland with a white wig and a gold hood teamed with a grey knitted skirt. Her outfit — which also featured stuffed ducks — stole the runway.
In 2022, The Vivienne returned to the show on the seventh series of the All Stars to compete for the title of the Queen of All Queens alongside former winners.
Dancing On Ice
Making history, The Vivienne was the first drag queen to compete on Dancing on Ice in the 2023 series where they were partnered with American professional skater Colin Grafton.
In one memorable moment, the drag queen performed for the very first time without their persona The Vivienne — no costume or make up — while skating to Beyonce's Halo for Icons Week.
"Drag is like my armour and superhero cape, which makes James invincible as The Vivienne," they said in 2023. "But this time, there’s gonna be nothing to hide behind."
The Vivienne sailed through the competition and was named in third place in the 2023 series. During their time on the show, they performed skating routines to songs by Cher and Dolly Parton.
The Vivienne's final TV appearance on Blankety Blank
They made their final TV appearance on Blankety Blank which aired over the Christmas period for the Boxing Day special, hosted by Bradley Walsh.
The Vivienne starred on the Blankety Blank reboot alongside Jonathan Ross, Oti Mabuse, Jane McDonald, Joel Dommett and Sara Pascoe.
Their wit was as sharp as ever and they cracked jokes including: "Christmas is too long. You get up, you start drinking at 8am, well I do. I want to be bladdered by the time I'm cooking, if it goes wrong, you can say 'Sorry, I'm bladdered'".
