Culture

Drag Race fans remember The Vivienne’s most iconic moments

By Jordan Robledo

5th January 2025

BBC

Fans have celebrated The Vivienne by highlighting some of her most iconic moments on social media.

On 5 January, the beloved talent’s publicist Simon Jones announced “with immense sadness” that the legendary drag performer, birth name James Lee Williams, “passed this weekend” at the age of 32.

“James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person,” Jones said in a statement. “Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career.

“We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”

As a way to honour The Vivienne and her incredible life, fans have flocked to social media to share some of her most iconic career moments.

One person on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighted one of her hilarious Netflix specials with Monét X Change – specifically, the one where they trained to be sex therapists.

“And this will forever be one of my favourite videos of The Vivienne. May she rest in peace,” they wrote.

Another fan echoed similar sentiments regarding The Vivienne’s comedic attempt at taking a Bridgerton etiquette class.

“I always come back to this when I need to laugh, The Vivienne you will be so missed, and your comedy will always live on,” they tweeted.

A third fan uploaded a clip of The Vivienne’s iconic performance as Headmistress Nutmeg from All Stars 7, writing: This doesn’t feel real. RIP The Vivienne. Sharing one of my fave drag race moments.”

Fans also celebrated the ‘Tonight’ singer’s unforgettable All Stars 7 roast, with one tweeting, “The Vivienne was a true and pure embodiment of British UK drag and her legacy will forever be remembered.”

The Vivienne rose to fame in 2019 as the winner of the first-ever season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Three years later, she made an iconic return for All Stars 7, the franchise’s first winners’ season, making history as the first international contestant to crossover to the U.S. series.

In addition to becoming one of the most popular queens in the Drag Race franchise, The Vivienne made waves for her work in other TV series such as I Like to Watch UK, Celebrity Juice, Celebrity Mastermind, Celebrity Karaoke Club and Emmerdale.

Lastly, in 2023, she made TV history when she competed in the 15th season of the popular celebrity ice skating series Dancing on Ice, becoming the first drag queen to do so.

See below for more of fans’ favourite moments from the late and great The Vivienne.