Ketamine Confirmed as The Vivienne’s Cause of Death
The season one winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" had been open about battles with addiction to party drugs.
The death of The Vivienne has been officially attributed to ketamine use.
The internationally acclaimed drag performer, whose real name was James Lee Williams, passed away at age 32 earlier this year. Their body was discovered in the bathroom of their UK home in Chorlton-by-Backford on January 5.
In a statement to Attitude magazine, the performer’s manager and friend Simone Jones confirmed that the beloved winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK had passed away “from the effects of ketamine use causing a cardiac arrest.”
Jones added, “I hope that by us releasing this information, we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body. Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don’t think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed.”
The Vivienne had been open about their past struggles with drug addiction.
During the filming of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, they discussed their four-year battle with addiction to party drugs, which was exacerbated by their lifestyle as a drag entertainer and their near-constant presence in the nightlife scene.
“There’s no bigger high than going on stage and entertaining people,” The Vivienne said during an exchange with fellow contestants. “So coming off that stage [you’re] going, ‘I need it, I need to feel it again, let me take this.'”
The Vivienne noted that three of their friends had died, and it still didn’t stop them from partying.
“A lot of my drug use was pure boredom,” the drag performer said. “It was just a habit that caught on, but a bit too quick and a bit too hard.”
In an emotional confessional, The Vivienne explained how they were kicked out of their home and warned that they’d be dead by age 30.
“I was pissing my life up the wall and I could have been dead now if I didn’t do anything about it,” they said, crediting the help of the Liverpool-based Armistead Centre and a move to Spain, where they met their former husband, David, with helping them stop drug use at that time.
In response to Williams’ death, their family is partnering with Adferaid, a UK-based charity supporting individuals struggling with substance use and mental health challenges. The collaboration will highlight the risks of ketamine use and support for those addicted to the drug.
“We continue to be completely devastated by James’s sudden death,” their sister, Chanel Williams, told Attitude in a statement. “Ketamine is an extremely dangerous drug that is becoming more and more prevalent in the UK. If we can help raise awareness of the dangers of this drug, and help people who may be dealing with ketamine addiction, then something positive will come from this complete tragedy.”
This April, Adferaid will launch “Only Human,” a National Lottery-funded initiative focused on reducing stigma around addiction, with Williams’ family using their platform to promote awareness as part of the campaign.
“We are incredibly grateful to James’s family for choosing to support and work with us on this campaign,” Adferaid spokesperson Donna Chaves said in a statement. “Their decision to speak out will help raise vital awareness of the impact substance use can have…. [We] can help prevent further tragedies and support those in need to find hope and recovery.”
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