Baga Chipz has called for RuPaul’s Drag Race UK to be scrapped.
Instead, they want the showreplaced with episode “re-runs of The Vivienne” to honour the late star. The 35-year-old drag queen starred in the first season of the BBC reality competition alongside The Vivienne – whose real name was James Lee Williams – in 2019, and she thinks the best way to pay tribute to the series one winner, who died on January 5th aged 32, is to just air clips of her going forwards.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at RuPaul’s DragCon UK at ExCel London, Baga said: “I think we should not have any more drag queens on Drag Race [UK] anymore and just have re-runs of The Vivienne. That would be so much better. We should just watch that.” The Ackley Bridge star – whose real name is Leo Loren – developed a close bond with ‘The Wizard of Oz pantomime icon, and she will always be her favourite.
Remembering The Vivienne, Baga added: “She was so fabulous … She was amazing. Incredible. What you saw, she had the look. Some people have the look or they have the charisma and all that and the talent. I would say I’m quite charismatic, and I’m quite comedic and all that, and I’ve got that side – but she had it all.
“However, on the season, we were both crap at dancing. She – because she was tall and statuesque and looked so gorgeous – people would be like, ‘Oh, she’s a bit intimidating,’ but then she would open her gob, and she would do anything for anyone. With me, she would be like, ‘Baga, you’re makeup looks like s***, come here.’
“She would always help me and on Drag Race [UK], we always sat next to each other and did our makeup, and we’d always have a fag together. You meet people in life, and you just gel. I was very lucky on my season because we all got on, but Viv and I were just a bit more – you have your favourites, don’t you?
“I had all the cigarettes and she had none – so she had to be friends with me!” A spokesperson for the star took to social media on January 5, to confirm the shattering news that The Vivienne had died. In a statement, they said: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.
“James was an incredibly loved, warm- hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”
Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race exclusively drops weekly in the UK on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe now at uk.wowpresentsplus.com.
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