A star of RuPaul's Drag Race took their own life after "struggling" to cope with fame, an inquest was told. George Ward - who performed as drag queen Cherry Valentine - was found dead in his flat last September by his lifelong friend and flatmate, the hearing was told.
The 'extravagant' 28-year-old, had worked in his home town of Darlington as a mental health nurse before finding fame on the second season of the cult BBC Three show RuPaul's Drag Race UK. But North London Coroner's Court heard how thre star had been "struggling with their rise to fame" since appearing on the show.
A friend admitted the "extravagance" may have been a 'mask' the star was hiding behind, and that they had previously 'battled' with depression. The inquest heard the star - who used he/they pronouns when not in drag and was genderfluid - had been "disowned" by their family at 18 after coming out as gay.
