The Vivienne Hid Ketamine Struggle To Protect Family, Sister Says

The sister of James Lee Williams, amended known arsenic The Vivienne, says her family only learned of nan resistance performer's conflict pinch ketamine addiction aft watching Drag Race UK.

In an question and reply pinch BBC Newsnight, Chanel Williams, 35, says James had kept nan struggle - including being hospitalised because of nan supplier - a concealed from nan family "to protect them".

The 32-year-old died successful January, pinch nan family later announcing nan origin of death arsenic a cardiac apprehension caused by taking ketamine.

Chanel says her relative had "a really agelong play of sobriety" earlier relapsing, thing she says nan family only discovered aft James's death.

"A large point for maine now is, had I asked nan questions aliases conscionable looked for nan signs, would nan result beryllium different?" she says.

The Vivienne was praised for speaking openly astir ketamine maltreatment and nan struggle of becoming sober while appearing connected Drag Race UK, which aired successful 2019.

Chanel is now hoping to proceed that bequest by campaigning to promote group to talk openly astir constituent abuse.

She believes nan stigma astir addiction, and her brother's successful profession connected shape and TV, meant James didn't activity master help.

"He'd spoken openly connected Drag Race astir nan battles he'd had pinch addiction, and he'd travel done nan different broadside of that," she says.

"He was astatine nan tallness of everything he was doing and I deliberation because he'd said it successful specified a unfastened platform, it's really difficult to travel backmost and opportunity you're struggling again."

Chanel says she's concerned astir nan emergence successful young group taking ketamine, which she believes is successful portion because nan supplier is inexpensive and easy accessible.

James's assemblage was recovered successful Chorlton-by-Backford, adjacent Chester, connected 5 January.

Police confirmed location were nary suspicious circumstances surrounding nan death, and a post-mortem introspection revealed an "unnatural origin of death."

A afloat inquest is scheduled for June 30. But successful March, nan family told BBC News that nan prima died from cardiac apprehension caused by nan effects of taking ketamine.

Since making nan announcement, they've been moving pinch constituent maltreatment kindness Adferiad to raise consciousness and tackle stigma astir nan drug, thing Chanel says is an "important step" successful those facing addiction.

"It's difficult for maine because I deliberation if that stigma wasn't there, would my relative person sought nan thief he needed?" she says.

"To deliberation that if we'd known, aliases if he'd person felt capable to talk and really scope retired for nan thief that was needed, nan result could've been different.

"That's why we've shared James's story."

Chanel and her family are besides campaigning for nan authorities to re-classify ketamine from its existent position arsenic a Class B supplier to Class A, which would put it successful nan aforesaid class arsenic heroin and cocaine.

"There's a information of younger group that possibly look astatine that classification and deliberation it's little harmful than different drugs," she says.

"But it's not conscionable astir reclassification […] it needs to see education, police, health, to really raise awareness. We request a strategy astir supplier usage and supplier deaths successful nan UK."

The UK authorities is presently seeking experts' proposal connected nan re-classification of ketamine, pinch Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson penning to nan Advisory Council connected nan Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) expressing interest complete nan rise successful young group taking nan drug.

A spokesperson for nan Home Office said: "Our thoughts are pinch James's family and friends, and each those affected by this tragic death, which has sadly reinforced erstwhile again nan superior dangers of taking ketamine.

"We will not hesitate to enactment erstwhile nan ACMD reports back, and successful nan meantime, we will proceed to activity crossed health, policing and wider nationalist services to thrust down supplier usage and extremity those who profit from its supply."

Chanel said it had been difficult to stock nan accusation astir really James had passed distant but that nan family "talked astir what we tin do".

"The Vivienne near a bequest arsenic a trailblazing icon and this, I feel, is James's legacy. To thief different people," she says.

"If I tin thief 1 family to not consciousness what we are feeling, past it's each worthy it."

You tin spot nan afloat question and reply pinch The Vivienne's sister Chanel connected BBC Newsnight astatine 10:30 connected BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.