April 24th 2025.
The Vivienne, a beloved star from Drag Race UK, is being remembered in a truly special way by her closest friends. On April 27th, Sunday, they will be taking on the London Marathon to raise funds for four different charities. One of these charities was particularly close to The Vivienne's heart, making this a meaningful and heartfelt tribute to her.
James Lee Williams, known by his stage name The Vivienne, passed away at the young age of 32 on January 5th. This tragic loss shook the LGBTQ+ community, with fans and friends pouring in with tributes and condolences. Jeremy Joseph, owner of G-A-Y, and Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus are the two friends who are running the marathon in honor of The Vivienne.
In a recent interview with Metro, Jeremy and Kitty shared why this marathon means so much to them and why they chose to do it in memory of The Vivienne. Jeremy revealed that he felt a strong urge to do something after her untimely death, to make things right in some way. And what better way to keep her memory alive than by running for a cause that she believed in, Sahir House, a charity based in Liverpool.
The two friends have been training for the marathon since January, and it was a difficult start for Kitty as they received the heartbreaking news of The Vivienne's death. However, it felt like the right decision to run for Sahir House and keep her legacy alive. Jeremy, who has been running the London Marathon for the past 14 years, found this year's run to be particularly poignant.
Their goal is to raise £50,000 for the G-A-Y foundation and split it equally between four charities, including Sahir House, London Friend: Antidote, Pancreatic Cancer UK, and Switchboard. Jeremy also shared a special memory with The Vivienne, where he had invited her to run the marathon with him after her appearance on Dancing On Ice. She had turned down the offer, but it felt like the perfect tribute to do it in her honor.
Kitty and Jeremy will be running on Rainbow Row, the 21st mile of the marathon, which symbolizes the LGBTQ+ community. If The Vivienne was here today, she would think they were crazy for attempting such a feat, according to Kitty. But she would also be their biggest supporter and cheerleader, proud to see her name being remembered and honored in such a way.
The Vivienne's family and friends are not the only ones supporting Jeremy and Kitty in their marathon journey. Sahir House has been reaching out and showing their appreciation for their efforts, which is especially important for smaller charities during these tough times. Jeremy believes that The Vivienne's legacy continues through the work she has done for Sahir House, as more people are now aware of the charity thanks to her.
Not only is there a cost of living crisis, but the recent UK Supreme Court ruling stating that the terms "sex" and "woman" in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex has also had a significant impact on the nation. However, through their efforts, Jeremy and Kitty are raising awareness for Sahir House and other smaller charities, keeping The Vivienne's memory alive and making a difference in her name.
The Vivienne, a beloved star of Drag Race UK, will be remembered in a special way by her close friends. They have decided to honor her by taking on the challenging London Marathon, which will take place on April 27th. Among these friends are fellow Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus and G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph. The two of them have chosen to run in support of four charities, one of which held a special place in The Vivienne's heart. The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, passed away on January 5th at the young age of 32. The LGBTQ+ community was devastated by this loss and many fans and friends paid tribute to her.
Jeremy and Kitty spoke to Metro about their decision to run in honor of The Vivienne and what it means to them. Jeremy shared that her passing left him feeling helpless and he wanted to do something to make things right. He also joked about his yearly tradition of vowing never to run the marathon again during the first few miles, but by the end, he's already planning for next year's race. This year, however, feels particularly poignant. The pair are running for the G-A-Y foundation and their goal is to raise £50,000 to be split equally among the four chosen charities.
Kitty explained that they had already started their training in January when The Vivienne passed away. It felt natural for them to choose Sahir House, a charity that The Vivienne had supported and championed, as their charity of choice. Jeremy also shared that he had once asked The Vivienne to run the marathon with him after her stint on Dancing On Ice, but she had turned down the offer. He added that it was important to keep her memory alive and continue her advocacy work through this marathon.
The two runners are also keeping The Vivienne's memory alive through their training, with Jeremy proposing the idea during last year's marathon on Rainbow Row, a mile that represents the LGBTQ+ community. Kitty laughed that if The Vivienne knew what they were doing, she would think they were crazy. She also shared that The Vivienne was the biggest supporter and cheerleader for all of them, and she would be proud to see her name still being talked about.
The Vivienne's legacy is also continuing through the work she did for Sahir House, which has been reaching out and showing their support for the two runners. Jeremy emphasized the importance of raising awareness for smaller charities, especially during these tough times. He also mentioned the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on the definitions of 'sex' and 'woman' in the Equality Act, which has had a huge impact on the nation. But through this marathon, The Vivienne's name will continue to shine bright and raise awareness for important causes.
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