RuPaul 'considering quitting' BBC Drag Race UK after The Vivienne's death
RuPaul is considering "standing down" from fronting the UK edition of Drag Race after being left "heartbroken" by the death of series one champion The Vivienne, reports have claimed.
The RuPaul's Drag Race UK star, who shot to fame after being crowned the first ever winner of the BBC series in 2019, died at the age of 32 earlier this month, a statement from their agent confirmed. The Vivienne, also known as James Lee Williams, also starred on ITV's Dancing On Ice in 2023, and had appeared on stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Liverpool just days before their death.
Issuing a statement in the wake of the sad news, RuPaul said he was joining "the entire Drag Race universe" in mourning the loss of The Vivienne, who he described as "an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being". And sources close to the star have said that the tragedy has left him reconsidering his role in the future of Drag Race UK, The Mirror reports.
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Ru is reportedly ready to step down from the show, leaving it in the hands of his fellow judges Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton. A source shared with MailOnline: "This has come like a bolt out of the blue for Ru.
"The Vivienne was one of his brightest stars and everyone knows what a soft spot he had for them. He has been left absolutely devastated by their passing and is now weighing up his own future."
They added: "Ru is now seriously considering standing down from hosting the UK franchise, which will always be associated with The Viv."
The latest series of Drag Race UK aired on BBC Three in September, and it was renewed for a seventh series in October, but the future of the show has been left in the balance after The Vivienne became the first winner of the Drag Race franchise to pass away. The original US edition of Drag Race has been running since 2009 with 17 seasons to date, giving rise to spin-offs around the world including in Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Brazil and South Africa.
In a statement issued on Sunday, January 5, The Vivienne's publicist Simon Jones announced on Instagram: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person.
"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."
The statement concluded: "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."