THE Vivienne’s closest friends have paid tribute to the late star on stage – just days after their shock death.
Drag Race legend Cheryl Hole made an emotional speech about her best pal as she performed the last show of her Peter Pan panto run on Monday night.
Kicking off the final hurrah, which stars Drag Race UK Winner Ginger Johnson as Hook and Kitty Scott-Claus , Cheryl told the audience the performance was dedicated to The Vivienne.
The emotional star had everyone on their feet, saying: “I know that b**ch is up there laughing at us right now. ‘Go on, girl, get on with the show. What the f**k are you doing, girl?’
“So everybody in the Phoenix Theater, thank you so much for standing up and let’s all scream the house down for our powerhouse, our queen, our season one winner, and my baby, The Vivienne.”
They closed the panto with the Pete Burns track You Spin Me Round in honour of Viv, a song they used to always perform to.
James Lee Williams, who performed as The Vivienne, won the first series of RuPaul‘s Drag Race UK and came third on the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice.
A friend told how the performer was found dead by their heartbroken dad and stepmum on Sunday.
The source told The Sun: “Their devastated dad raised the alarm and believed they had passed away a day or two before being found.”
James was due to move to a £400,000 house next week, and had a holiday lined up.
The pal added: “They were planning a tour and really had everything to live for.”
Cops said there were no suspicious circumstances relating to the death in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester.
