RuPaul has made his first public appearance since The Vivienne's death, delivering an emotional tribute at DragCon UK in London's ExCel centre on Friday.
via: The Mirror
RuPaul is reportedly so devastated by The Vivienne's death that he is "seriously considering" stepping down from his hosting duties on his iconic show, according to recent reports.
The 64-year-old host paid tribute to The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, after they tragically passed away at the age of 32 over the weekend. Ru expressed his sorrow, saying: "With a broken heart, I join the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of the Vivienne - an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being."
The Vivienne had been one of the standout stars on RuPaul's Drag Race - the BBC reality show where drag queens compete to be named RuPaul's "superstar". The Vivienne clinched the title in the first UK series in 2019.
Their untimely death has reportedly left Ru "in bits" and contemplating stepping back from his TV series, which has aired on the BBC for five years, following its success in the US. An insider revealed: "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. Ru is now seriously considering standing down from hosting the UK franchise, which will always be associated with The Viv."
Ru, hailing from San Diego, California, did not address the tragedy for 24 hours before his emotional Instagram message, reports the Mirror.
The drag queen was initially missing among the sea of tributes, which included heartfelt words from singer Michelle Visage and Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley.
RuPaul eventually paid tribute to The Vivienne, after which sources told Mail Online that Ru is prepared to step down from the UK franchise. This would leave co-hosts Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, and Graham Norton in charge.
However, fans of the show are likely to question its future without its namesake host. Williams, who adopted the name The Vivienne due to a fondness for Vivienne Westwood clothing, struggled to make ends meet in Gran Canaria's bars.
Born and raised in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, Williams became enamored with RuPaul and his talent show, which debuted in the US in 2009. Thus, The Vivienne was publicly established.
The Vivienne won the first UK series of RuPaul's Drag Race and competed again in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022. In 2019, The Vivienne was known for their successful blend of honesty, sharp retorts, and an excellent impersonation of Donald Trump.
Tragically, on Sunday, Williams's devastated father discovered his child unresponsive at home. Cheshire Police were called to a property in Chorlton-by-Backford at 12.22pm on Sunday and later confirmed there were "no suspicious circumstances."
*****
While I believe that RuPaul's feelings for The Vivienne are genuine, and he like so many others are grieving, I do not believe the loss of a Drag Race contestant would move him to quit the very thing that brings in millions of dollars.
The show can pay tribute (which the second episode of Drag Race season 17 did at the end of the show) to The Vivienne, but no shade, I'm not buying this story.
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