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Police have confirmed they were called to a house near Chester after the death of former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne.

The 32-year-old’s death was announced on Sunday evening and has prompted an outpouring of tributes from celebrities and colleagues.

The performer rose to prominence in 2015 after becoming the UK Drag Ambassador for the American series of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

They went on to win the first UK series of the show in 2019 and came third on the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice.

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said officers were called to a house in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester, at 12.22pm on Sunday following reports of a sudden death.

They said there were “no suspicious circumstances”.

The spokesman said: “Police attended, investigated the circumstances of the death of the 32-year-old man and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”

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Williams’ ex-husband David Ludford shared a tribute on social media on Monday with pictures of the couple at their wedding and throughout their six-year relationship.

Ludford, who creates wigs, wrote: “My heart literally sank when I got the call! My heart is shattered!

“Never in a million years did I think I’d ever be writing anything like this about James Lee Williams.

“This man changed my life so much from the day we first met in August 2017 in Gran Canaria!! We literally clicked straight away and we knew we was going to be together for a long time!! He made me feel love and shown me what it was really like to love someone.

“We literally went through and did so much together it was like a whirlwind and I wouldn’t have changed the time we spent together for anything In The world!!!”

Sharing the news of Williams’ death on Sunday, The Vivienne’s publicist Simon Jones said they would be remembered for their “immense talent”, adding “the light they brought to every room was astonishing”.

The statement said Williams’ family were “heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle” and would not be releasing further details.

‘A beacon to so many’

Williams, who was born in Wales and later moved to Liverpool, performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in a UK and Ireland tour of The Wizard Of Oz musical and reprised the role in the West End last year.

They were due to be back on tour next month performing in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang musical in the role of the Childcatcher.

A host of celebrities have paid tribute, with Dancing On Ice judge Oti Mabuse calling The Vivienne a “phenomenal entertainer” and “trailblazer”.

Fellow RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon said the star made a “mark in our hearts”.

RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage said Williams’ death was “heartbreaking”.

Alongside pictures of them together, Visage wrote on Instagram: “We go back to when I started coming over here to the UK. You were always there, always laughing, always giving, always on point.

“Your laughter, your wit, your talent, your drag. I loved all of it but I loved your friendship most of all.

“You were a beacon to so many. Seeing you make your West End debut was amazing for me to witness your dream come true right in front of my eyes, I’m the lucky one to have known you and to have laughed together with you so many times.”

Former EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer, who appeared with Williams on Dancing On Ice, said she was “lost for words” and “deeply saddened”.

“You were so beautiful inside and out and I will never forget our experiences we shared during Dancing On Ice,” she wrote.

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton said it was “unbelievably sad” and Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley called The Vivienne an “incredible human” who will be missed.

‘Like a Scouse wife who has come into money’

RuPaul’s Drag Race said it was “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Vivienne”.

In a post on social media, the show said Williams’ “talent, humour, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration”.

Fiona Campbell, BBC controller of youth audience, said the news was “deeply sad”, adding that the broadcaster was “fiercely proud of The Vivienne’s achievements”.

Speaking in 2019, The Vivienne described their drag style as “like a Scouse wife who has come into money, she moved to LA and blew it all and then she’s had to move back to Liverpool”.

They said they had adopted the drag name The Vivienne in honour of the clothes designer Vivienne Westwood because they dressed “head to toe in Westwood”.

A man who attacked the drag star in a hate crime in June 2023 received a suspended jail term last January.

Liverpool Magistrates’ Court ruled the one-punch attack by unemployed scaffolder Alan Whitfield on Williams was homophobic.

Williams’ face was bruised and hurt for a week, but they told the court that “luckily” they were a 6ft ex-rugby player who could take a punch.

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Liverpool win Premier League title to equal Man Utd’s record

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Liverpool win Premier League title to equal Man Utd's record

Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.

It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.

However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.

Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
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Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters

Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
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Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP

Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
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Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA

Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
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Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP

In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.

The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.

But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.

“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”

Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
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Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters

Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
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Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP

Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.

He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.

Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”

Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.

Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.

Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
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Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP

Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
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Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP

Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
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Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters

Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.

It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.

The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.

A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.

The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.

Pic: LNP
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Pic: LNP

They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.

A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.

Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.

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There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.

More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.

Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform

Pic: LNP
Image:
Pic: LNP

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.

“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”

The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.

The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week’s council elections

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week's council elections

Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out forming coalitions at a local level with Reform after the council elections next week.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Conservative leader did however categorically rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s party on a national level.

“I am not going into any coalition with Nigel Farage… read my lips,” she said.

However, she did not deny that deals could be struck with Reform at a local level, arguing that some councils might be under no overall control and in that case, “you have to do what is right for your local area”.

“You look at the moment, we are in coalition with Liberal Democrats, with independents,” she said. “We’ve been in coalition with Labour before at local government level.

“They [councillors] have to look at who the people are that they’re going into coalition with and see how they can deliver for local people.”

She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talks of stitch-ups or people planning things before the results are out. They have to do what is right for their communities.”

More on Electoral Dysfunction

A total of 23 councils are up for grabs when voters go to the polls on Thursday 1 May – mostly in places that were once deemed Tory shires, until last year’s general election.

It includes 14 county councils, all but two of which have been Conservative-controlled, as well as eight unitary authorities, all but one of which are Tory.

Ms Badenoch has set expectations low for the Tories, suggesting they could lose all the councils they are contesting.

The last time this set of councils were up for election was in 2021, when the Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson who was riding high from the COVID vaccine bounce.

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