Drag artist The Vivienne died of cardiac arrest caused by ketamine, family says

A backdrop in memory of The Vivienne at a Ru Paul’s Drag convention in London. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

The drag artist known as The Vivienne died of a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine, their family has said.

James Lee Williams, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK as The Vivienne in 2019, died at their home in Cheshire in January. Their sister Chanel Williams said it was important to share the circumstances of their death because ketamine use was becoming more prevalent in the UK.