The Vivienne kept ketamine addiction secret from family to ‘protect them’

The Vivienne’s family has revealed that the star kept their addiction from them (Picture: Scott Garfitt/REX/Shutterstock)

The family of James Lee Williams, known as drag queen The Vivienne, have revealed that Williams kept their addiction a secret in order to protect them.

The performer, real name James Lee Williams, died on January 5 at the age of 32.

Williams’ body was found in the bathroom of their home in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester.

The star’s cause of death was later revealed in March as a result of ‘effects of ketamine use causing a cardiac arrest.’

In a new interview with BBC Newsnight, Chanel Williams, 35, revealed that Williams, 32, kept their ketamine addiction a secret from their family to ‘protect them’.

Chanel revealed in the interview that her brother had a ‘really long period of sobriety’ before relapsing, and her family had learned about The Vivienne’s addiction battles while watching Drag Race.

‘I think the first time we even knew that my brother had previously battled with any ketamine addiction was when he appeared on Drag Race.

‘So we learned that at the same time as the rest of the nation really, and it was so heartbreaking to know what he’d been through, what he’d been through during that addiction period and had not been able to seek help or speak to us.

‘And we had no idea at the point that he passed away that it had become an issue again in his life.’

Chanel has spoken about her sibling’s passing before (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

She added: ‘A big thing for me now is, had I asked the questions or just looked for the signs, would the outcome be different?’

‘He’d spoken openly on Drag Race about the battles he’d had with addiction, and he’d come through the other side of that.’

‘He was at the height of everything he was doing, and I think because he’d said it in such an open platform, it’s really difficult to come back and say you’re struggling again.’

A full inquest has been scheduled to look into Williams’ death, but police have confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances following the star’s death.

The star died in January (Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Since revealing that Williams died from a ketamine-related issue, the star’s family has worked with a substance abuse charity named Adferiad to tackle the stigma surrounding the drug.

‘It’s hard for me because I think if that stigma wasn’t there, would my brother have sought the help he needed?

‘To think that if we’d known, or if he’d have felt able to talk and really reach out for the help that was needed, the outcome could’ve been different.

‘That’s why we’ve shared James’s story.’

Williams’ family is now campaigning for change (Picture: ITV)

She added that a key part is to campaign for the government to re-classify ketamine from a Class B drug to Class A, putting it in the same band as cocaine and heroin, not amphetamines and cannabis.

‘There’s a portion of younger people that maybe look at that classification and think it’s less harmful than other drugs,’ she says.

‘But it’s not just about reclassification […] it needs to include education, police, health, to really raise awareness. We need a strategy around drug usage and drug deaths in the UK.’

Speaking about this mission further on social media, she said on social media last month that this campaign is helping the family ‘find a way forward.’

Posting a statement on Instagram, she began by sharing: ‘The sudden passing of my brother, James, known to many as The Vivienne, has left our family heartbroken and struggling to find our way forward. Sharing his story has not been easy, but we believe it is essential to honour his memory and help others who may be facing similar challenges.

She concluded the lengthy post: ‘While sharing James’ story has been incredibly difficult, we hope that by doing so, we can shed light on these important issues and help others on their journeys.

‘In doing this work, we strive to keep James’ legacy alive and make a difference for others.

‘James loved life and lived it to the maximum; full of love and laughter. This is, and always will be, for him. Thank you for your support as we embark on this journey to raise awareness and promote change in memory of our beloved James /The Vivienne.’

BBC Newsnight is on weekdays at 10:30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

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