The Vivienne tribute: One of the greatest drag stars ever and my dear friend

Viv became a client, but a really good friend and someone I cared for dearly (Picture: Getty)

I first met The Vivienne (real name James Lee Williams) just after they had won RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019.

I was already a huge fan, as I had avidly watched the first season – like much of the country – and was blown away by The Vivienne’s amazing presence on the show. I was asked if I’d be interested in managing Viv and I jumped at the opportunity, just as the first lockdown approached in 2020.

I just instantly knew we could make history and open doors for drag in this country. It was really important to me that I did something positive, uplifting and game-changing. Together with Viv we did just that.

Viv became a client, but a really good friend and someone I cared for dearly. In fact, we spoke nearly every day as our lives became intertwined.

From the beginning, I quickly realised that Viv was a hilarious talent. I have never laughed as hard as I have watching them perform. Their quick wit, comic timing and genius snap backs were side-splitting, but it was always done with love and a huge wink.

Audiences loved Viv. They felt safe with their hands and would laugh all night. Viv’s content for Netflix is some of the most hilarious filming you will ever watch, and that is why it is still constantly being clipped up on TikTok.

But what I will remember most fondly is the amazing private moments we shared where Viv would make me laugh uncontrollably. Sometimes we’d go for lunch or dinner just simply to gossip and catch up.

That was the magic of Viv. They could enter a room and it would light up with a presence that everyone felt.

On top of that, they were warm, charming, polite and professional. They made everyone feel special and loved – and that is a rare gift. They had pure star quality and pure raw talent.

Raising money for charity was of huge importance to Viv (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for World Of Wonder Productions)

I remember after my wedding in 2023, so many people said they loved James and found them to be the most fun person in the room.

In the wake of Viv’s passing, the outpouring of love and grief from the global Drag Race community today is a testament to just how much The Vivienne meant to everyone. To the UK queens in particular, Viv was a mentor and someone they could turn to for advice.

Whether that was about appearing on the show, life outside Drag Race, or just purely make-up and wig tips. Viv was the queen of UK drag and no one in the community disputed that.

The love and support she showed all queens – whether they had been on TV or not – was amazing to witness. Viv never forgot where she came from and always wanted to give back to queens on the local scene in Liverpool, where she first found work. In fact, every time they toured, Viv gave a support slot to a local drag queen, often a friend of hers.

Raising money for charity was of huge importance to Viv. They would often do gigs to raise funds for causes such as Sahir House, Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ HIV charity, or when they launched a clothing range in aid of Mermaids. The community was of utmost importance to them, and they were never afraid to speak out on issues that needed a spotlight on them.

Over the five years that I knew her, The Vivienne and I worked hard together post the Drag Race win, appearing on TV shows such as The Great British Sewing Bee, Celebrity Juice, Celebrity Hunted, Blankety Blank, The Chase, and The Weakest Link.

Or landing acting roles in the BBC’s This Is Going To Hurt and Emmerdale. When Ant & Dec wanted to learn how to do drag for Saturday Night Takeaway, there was only one person to turn to and that was The Vivienne.

Viv met up with Ant & Dec privately and taught them how to move and perform as a drag queen, giving them hilarious tips to improve their performance. Viv then performed with them live on the show in a triumphant ‘End of the Show Show’ that was loved by millions of people all over the country.

We made music together and I remember Viv being blown away that the legendary Diane Warren had agreed for Viv to record her song ‘Bitch On Heels’ (which Viv went on to perform on Drag Race All Stars in the US).

Viv was a massive Aerosmith and Celine Dion fan and couldn’t believe the songwriter behind so many of their hits had a song for them. That was the humble nature of James, and it was a magical moment when it all came together.

Viv made history by becoming the first drag star to appear on a major UK reality TV competition show in Dancing On Ice. This took Viv’s drag to a whole new audience of ITV prime time viewers, with huge praise being bestowed upon their emotional and near-perfect skates on the show, leading to them making it all the way to the final.

Viv loved musical theatre (Picture: Newcastle Theatre Royal)

It was their amazing performances on Dancing On Ice that caught the eye of the producers of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wizard Of Oz, seeing the potential to cast Viv as the Wicked Witch Of The West. The casting was genius and Viv thrilled audiences across the UK for nearly a year in the role, winning both critical and public acclaim.

Viv was so set on doing a good job that by the time they entered the first rehearsal for the show they already knew the entire script ‘off book’ and blew everyone away on day one. Viv was determined to make the whole production take them seriously and not have anyone think they were a ‘stunt’ casting.

Viv loved musical theatre. It was a world where they felt comfortable and secure. They told me many times this is where they saw their future as an entertainer.

It’s so cruel that this journey has been cut so tragically short. I feel confident Viv would have become a huge award-winning musical theatre star and cross over to Broadway. A huge dream they had.

Their now-last theatre role followed, playing the iconic Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. When I recently went to see Viv in the show in Liverpool last month, I was again blown away by the talent and how they stole the whole show.

Even though the role was not as big as others, you could feel the huge reaction from the audience every time they came on stage. Little did I know this would be the very last time I would watch my dear friend perform. 

All of Viv’s family and friendship group are amazing, genuine people – several of whom I have the honour of calling friends now too.

Viv leaves a legacy as one of the greatest drag and entertainment stars the UK has ever seen. Their presence will be felt forever. An icon of drag and a beautiful human who left us way too soon.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing James.Besanvalle@metro.co.uk. 

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