A year after the tragic death of drag sensation The Vivienne, her sister Chanel Williams is channelling her grief into a powerful campaign to raise awareness about drug addiction and break its pervasive stigma.
James Lee Williams, known globally as The Vivienne, died aged 32 from misadventure, suffering cardio-respiratory arrest following ketamine use.
The star, who won the inaugural series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019, had previously spoken openly about overcoming addiction.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Ms Williams reflected on the profound impact of her brother's passing.
"It’s really hard to come to terms with a loss that’s so sudden," she stated, explaining how her family has "focused all our energy on trying to raise as much awareness as we can and break the stigma that is around drug use and addiction, and really honour my brother’s legacy through helping other people."
Despite The Vivienne’s public journey to sobriety, Ms Williams believes the addiction never "truly left."
She revealed, "we weren’t aware at the time that James passed, that ketamine had become an issue again within his life." She highlighted the immense pressure on individuals in the public eye who advocate for recovery while privately battling their own struggles.
"I think there’s certainly a stigma around when you say that you’ve gone through recovery and you want to advocate for people that are struggling and then you yourself are struggling, and you’re in the public eye, it’s really difficult."
In response, Ms Williams has helped establish House Of The Vivienne, an addiction support group based in Wales, urging anyone facing similar challenges to seek help.
She described ketamine as a "dissociative substance and the damage that it does, both acutely and chronically, is devastating."
Emphasising the importance of early intervention, she added: "If you’re struggling with any addiction... the first step is always seeking support... It’s about bringing people together and people knowing that they’re not alone and that there is support available."
Addiction specialist Dr Niall Campbell, also appearing on the programme, characterised ketamine use in the UK as an "epidemic," attributing its prevalence to its easy availability and low cost. He advocated for enhanced education and awareness initiatives within schools.
