Family calls for more awareness following drag star The Vivienne's ketamine-related death
By Ned Hammond and wires
Topic:Death and Dying
8m ago8 minutes agoTue 18 Mar 2025 at 1:53am
The Vivienne Drag Queen wearing a blue shimmery dress with their leg up on a chair and a blonde/grey hair do
Drag star The Vivienne died in January from cardiac arrest related to ketamine use. (Getty: Emma McIntyre)
In short:
The family of James Lee Williams — better known as The Vivienne — said the 32-year-old drag star died of cardiac arrest related to ketamine use.
Williams was found dead at their Cheshire home in the United Kingdom in January.
What's next?
Williams's family will work with charity Adferiad to call for more awareness around substance abuse and addiction.
James Lee Williams, the artist better known as drag queen The Vivienne, died from cardiac arrest related to ketamine use, their family says.
The Vivienne, winner of Drag Race UK, was found dead in their Cheshire home in January. Police confirmed the death was not being treated as suspicious.
The artist's sister Chanel Williams has told the BBC the family wanted to raise awareness of the dangers of ketamine in the wake of the 32-year-old's death.
"Ketamine is an extremely dangerous drug that is becoming more and more prevalent in the UK," Ms Williams said on behalf of the family.
"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," she said.
She said the family would work with addiction charity Adferiad to raise awareness.
Two drag stars and RuPaul holding a microphone standing behind a pink ribbon
James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne, won the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019. (Getty via AFP: Emma McIntyre)
Williams, whose drag name came from their love of the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, was the winner of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019.
Williams used their platform as The Vivienne while competing on Drag Race UK to raise awareness of their struggles with substance abuse, and Ms Williams said the family wanted to continue the legacy.
"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," she said.
An inquest into Williams's death is due to begin in June.
Writing for Metro in January, Williams's manager Simon Jones said The Vivienne would leave a legacy as one of the greatest drag stars of all time.
"Their presence will be felt forever," he wrote.
"An icon of drag and a beautiful human who left us way too soon."
A hospital pharmacy with vials of ketamine and testing equipment
Ketamine is increasingly being used as a recreational drug in Australia. (ABC News: Donal Sheil)
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is used by veterinarians and doctors as a sedative and pain reliever, but illicit use of the drug has been on the rise.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's 2022-23 National Drug Strategy Household Survey showed the use of ketamine increased in that period after minimal change from 2004 to 2016.
The report estimated that in 2022-23, 1.4 per cent of the population, or about 300,000 people, had used ketamine in the previous 12 months — up from 0.3 per cent in 2004 and 0.4 per cent in 2016.
The 2022-23 survey also showed 4.3 per cent or about 900,000 people had used the drug in their lifetime compared with 1 per cent in 2004 and 1.9 per cent in 2016.
The report found the increase was largely driven by people in their 30s, but that people in their 20s were most likely to have used ketamine in the past 12 months.
Recent research has also explored ketamine's potential as a treatment for depression.
Posted8m ago8 minutes agoTue 18 Mar 2025 at 1:53am
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