The Vivienne’s mother Caroline has shared a heart wrenching family update in the new documentary Dear Viv.
The Vivienne, known out of drag as James Lee Williams, sadly died on January 5, aged 32.
And the tribute documentary by Drag Race production company WOW Presents and the BBC is set to air on Thursday to honour the star’s life.
In scenes in the programme Caroline admits she is ‘plodding on one day at a time’ as she opens up on life seven months after the Drag Race star’s tragic death.
Speaking about her loss she said: ‘Every day after that has been not believing it. It’s a battle. It’s a real battle.’
Breaking down in tears she revealed what she wishes she could tell James now: ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. Keep safe in heaven, keep Max safe for us. Did I say how proud I was?’
The Vivienne’s mother shared a heart wrenching family update in the new documentary Dear Viv after star’s tragic ketamine death
The Vivienne, known out of drag as James Lee Williams , sadly died on January 5, aged 32 (pictured in 2023)
James’s sister Chanel also reveals how she found her brother’s body in his house after his friend called her asking if she had heard from him.
She explained: ‘We drove to the house and there was ambulance, police and I just wanted to run straight up the stairs. We went in and he was lying on the floor. He just looked really peaceful.’
The reality TV star was discovered with five empty ‘snap bags’ of ketamine in the house, the coroner was told.
A friend said the drag queen had been sober for years but had recently relapsed.
James had opened up about his addiction to ketamine on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK back 2019, but was four years sober at the time of filming.
Addressing his addiction Caroline said: ‘I didn’t know until that point about it at all so he obviously hid it from me…I think he held that from us to protect us.’
The Vivienne’s manager Simon Jones also features in the documentary as he admitted he too knew about James’ addiction.
He said: ‘Viv and I were so close, she was completely open with me. I didn’t know until later with us working together that it had reared its head again.
‘There were times when it crept back in and there were times when it disappeared. I did everything I could as a manager – therapy, counsellors, everything we could do when Viv needed that help. We spoke very openly about it.’
Speaking about her loss she said: ‘Every day after that has been not believing it. It’s a battle. It’s a real battle’
‘So much of Viv’s life was based around wanting to be successful. The really sad part of all this was that 2025 was going to be amazing for Viv.’
The first trailer for the documentary was released earlier this month and shows never-before-seen clips from The Vivienne’s childhood and early days on the drag circuit.
It also includes interviews with their Drag Race loved ones, including Raja, Danny Beard, Michael Marouli, Cheryl Hole, Tia Kofi, and Baga Chipz.
One clip shows Raja attempting to hold back tears while preparing to speak to the cameras for an interview.
Danny, winner of Drag Race UK season 4, is also shown breaking down when prompted to speak about the late queen.
‘The Vivienne was British drag with this modern polish,’ Tia says later in the footage.
Later, Baga, who competed with The Vivienne on Drag Race UK season 1, praises her friend’s approach to the art form.
‘If you’re gorge and you’re talented, you’ve got nothing to prove,’ Baga says to the camera.
James had opened up about his addiction to ketamine on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK back 2019, but was four years sober at the time of filming
Fans took to the comments of the trailer to share their thoughts.
They penned: ‘Oh man that clip of Raja crying killed me.. I remember she went live to talk about Viv after she passed and she was so devastated, she said that they got really close during All-Stars…. I miss her’.
‘So unbelievably sad. I miss her so much’,
‘She will be missed forever! She was and still is a star’,
‘What really broke me in this trailer was the title card at the end with the title being read like someone is crying’,
Dear Viv will be be available to watch on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on WOW Presents Plus from 28 August.
