The Vivienne’s family say ‘we’re so proud’ at green-lit vigil

The household of drag icon The Vivienne mentioned they “introduced the flicker to life” and shall be missed “for eternity” throughout an emotional vigil in Liverpool on Sunday evening.

A whole lot gathered on the steps of St George’s Corridor to pay their respects to the TV star, also referred to as James Lee Williams, who died last week aged 32.

The landmark was lit up in inexperienced to honour The Vivienne’s function in Wizard of Oz and crowds swayed with their telephone torches shining to a shifting rendition of Someplace Over the Rainbow.

The Vivienne was catapulted to fame after profitable the primary sequence of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019.

“As a household we’re utterly overwhelmed by the outpouring of affection for James, The Vivienne,” the household mentioned in a press release learn by The Vivienne’s good friend Bobby.

The household paid tribute to a “son, brother, uncle and true icon”.

“From an early age it was evident he was destined for the stage… he was decided to pave his personal approach on this world,” they mentioned.

“The highway was not simple however the dream by no means, ever modified and James would at all times inform us that they might make it occur and so they did.”

The household mentioned they have been “so unbelievably happy with all the pieces they achieved”.

“We are going to miss you for an eternity and for an eternity we’ll all love you,” they mentioned.

Shortly earlier than the assertion was learn, The Vivienne’s younger niece Isabella took the microphone.

“Thanks for being right here to rejoice my uncle,” she mentioned to the gang. “I really like you uncle James.”

Crowds heard performances from Joey & the Scorching Tub Boys, who sang Coronary heart of Stone by Cher and Heroes by David Bowie, and speeches from a bunch of associates and colleagues.

Danny Beard, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK sequence 4, referred to as The Vivienne a “really bigger than life” character who may “by no means be confined by the odd”.

Theydescribed them as a “shining beacon of sunshine for the LGBT neighborhood”.

“The performances weren’t simply acts, they have been celebrations of life,”theymentioned.

“They taught us it was OK to dwell out loud.”

The vigil was organised with the assistance of Sahir Home, Liverpool’s oldest LGBTQ+ charity. The Vivienne was an envoy of the charity.

The Vivienne’s publicist and good friend Simon Jones instructed the PJDM: “I’ll keep in mind The Vivienne as being a extremely kind-hearted, beautiful particular person in addition to being probably the most wonderful expertise.

“What I liked probably the most about The Vivienne was that she made me giggle the entire time.

“There may be actually nobody who has made me giggle as a lot as Viv, whether or not that was at a present the place she was studying the viewers… or after we have been going for lunch or dinner or hanging out.

“There was at all times a fast one-liner and one thing a bit savage.

“She was at all times hilarious and I am actually going to overlook that. She introduced a lot love and heat into my life.”

Presenter Holly Willoughby paid tribute to tug queen The Vivienne after a gap efficiency by the skilled skaters on ITV sequence Dancing On Ice on Saturday evening.

The programme began with a show of lifts and jumps from the determine skaters, who have been wearing pink, blue and yellow.

After Willoughby welcomed viewers to the brand new sequence, she added: “Earlier than we transfer on, like us, lots of you’ll have been saddened by the tragic information of The Vivienne’s passing final weekend.

“Now they have been an enormous a part of our present, making all of it the way in which to the ultimate in 2023.

“They’re going to be very sorely missed and our ideas are with The Vivienne’s family members presently. So unhappy.”

After profitable the primary sequence of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, The Vivienne grew to become the one contestant from the UK sequence to compete within the American sequence once they took half in All Stars 7 in 2022.

They went on to turn into a family title by appearances on different TV reveals together with Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night time Takeaway, Dancing on Ice and Emmerdale.

The Vivienne’s loss of life led to an outpouring of grief from the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and past.

On Friday, DragCon UK, a conference for followers of Drag Race, was attended by many of the present’s contestants.

Host RuPaul Charles paid tribute to The Vivienne through the opening ceremony of the occasion, saying he wished to give attention to “love”.

He mentioned: “We’re going to keep in mind our expensive The Vivienne, with love, life, and that is what she was all about.

“She would love so that you can dwell your lives and to be free and to have loads of enjoyable and to unfold it round, is not that proper?”

Different excessive profile names to pay tribute included Drag Race choose Michelle Visage and singer and actor Arianna Grande.

The Vivienne was raised in Colwyn Bay on the north coast of Wales.

They attended non-public faculty Rydal Penrhos however dropped out aged 16 to maneuver to Liverpool and turn into a make-up artist.

They later went on to dwell and carry out in Gran Canaria. A vigil was held on the Spanish island similtaneously the Liverpool occasion.