Dancing on Ice star The Vivienne, also known as James Lee Williams, tragically passed away at the age of 32 in January and their sister has appeared on Lorraine to speak about them

The Vivienne’s sister Chanel Williams has opened up about how her brother kept their struggle a secret before his tragic death in a new interview with ITV. “We didn’t know that struggle that was going on towards the end of his life,” she said. “That stigma we need to break down.”

Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne passed away in January, with their manager and friend Simon Jones confirming this month that they died “from the effects of ketamine use causing a cardiac arrest”. They wrote on Instagram at the time: “James’s family and I feel it is important to say how James tragically died. We hope that by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do your body.”

The Vivienne’s sister Chanel opened up about their “devastating” death in a live interview

Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine Kelly about The Vivienne’s death, Chanel said: “It’s completely devastated us all. It was so unexpected and he loved life. Now, reflecting on everything, you just think, ‘What can you take from this now and what can we do?’

“So as a family we’re really passionate about turning this into something where we can make a difference and we can make a chance and raise awareness around the drug ketamine and the dangers.”

Inside ‘creepy abandoned prison’

The Vivienne had been open about her drug addiction struggles in the past, however Chanel revealed that their family didn’t realise that she was no longer sober. “He’s gone through long periods of sobriety so for us as a family, we didn’t know that struggle that was clearly going on towards the end of his life,” she said.

“He was maintaining, he was on tour, doing so well. He was reading scripts for the future. So I think that stigma we need to break down so people feel about to talk.” She added: “It’s hard if you’ve battled and then gone through that period of sobriety, it’s even harder to come back and say, ‘I’m struggling again.’”

Chanel later paid tribute to her brother as “an iconic trailblazer”, adding: “We remember that and I feel like this now is also James’s legacy as well. I know that he would want this. He struggled and he was open about that, I know that he would want this fight. This is beyond the most devastating time. For me to see my parents struggle as they are, we’ve just got to channel that into hoping that other families don’t feel like this.”

The Vivienne’s family have partnered with an addiction charity ( 
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At one point, host Lorraine told Chanel: “I think it’s wonderful what you’re doing, It’s so hard when you lose someone, doing so well, doing incredible, very, very open about problems in the past with drugs, very, very open about that. I don’t think anybody really realised the struggles.”

Chanel replied: “I think that goes back to the stigma that is around and trying to break that stigma down because James was quite open, as you say, about his previous struggles and he’d gone through long periods of sobriety so for us as a family, we didn’t know that struggle that was clearly going on towards the end of his life.”

Lorraine and Chanel also discussed the fact ketamine isn’t registered as a class A drug. “I think that’s where the classification of the drug currently isn’t in line with the risks that are associated,” The Vivienne’s sister said on the ITV show. “I’m fearful that the younger generation, where it is more prevalent, feel that it’s less harmful.”

During their time on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, The Vivienne admitted having been a drug addict for four years. Speaking on the the first series of the reality TV competition, they said: “It was party, drugs, but I couldn’t leave the drugs at the party, it was constant for me.”

They added that their addiction was a “habit that caught on a bit too quick and a bit too hard”. “I had to be kicked out of my house and told that I would be dead by the time I was 30. It was the loneliest part of my life, I was killing myself… and my family don’t even know. I was pissing my life up the wall and I could’ve been dead now if I didn’t do anything about it.”

The star’s family have teamed up with addiction charity Aderaid ( 
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PA)As The Vivienne’s family shared their loved one’s cause of death last week, Donna Chaves, from charity Adferiad – who operates across Wales and England, said: “We are incredibly grateful to James’s family for choosing to support and work with us on this campaign.

“Their courage in sharing James’s story will help raise vital awareness of the devastating impact substance use can have. We are seeing a worrying rise in the number of people using ketamine, often unaware of the serious risks it poses to their physical and mental health.

“Addiction can affect anyone, and too many people suffer in silence due to stigma and lack of understanding.By opening conversations and challenging misconceptions, we can help prevent further tragedies and support those in need to find hope and recovery.”

An inquest into the death of The Vivienne was opened and adjourned at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington last month. The TV personality, who grew up in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, before moving to Liverpool, came third in the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice.

The star performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in a UK and Ireland tour of The Wizard Of Oz musical and reprised the role in the West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre last year. They were due back on stage this month as the Childcatcher in a tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a role they first played last year.

Their funeral in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, North Wales, was attended by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestants Tia Kofi and Baga Chipz, along with Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, TV personality Kim Woodburn and Coronation Street actress Claire Sweeney.