Venues across Manchester and the north are to light up green this weekend for very special reason
It will serve as a ‘visual tribute’ to a well-missed star
Venues across the UK, including St George’s Hall in Liverpool, will light up green on Saturday(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
A number of prominent buildings and nightlife venues will be lighting up green on Saturday for what will mark the one-year anniversary since the loss of an icon.
James Lee Williams, better known as The Vivienne, was tragically found dead at their home in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester, on January 5, 2025. A coroner later ruled that the performer, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, had likely passed away two days earlier.
Alongside winning the BBC competition series, the 32-year-old was also a prominent stage actor and TV personality. Alongside screen appearances on the likes of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Blankety Blank and Dancing on Ice, they also appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Wizard of Oz at theatres across the country.
The Vivienne won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019(Image: Getty Images)
They played the character of the Wicked Witch in the former at Manchester’s Palace Theatre in May 2024. At the time, The Vivienne spoke about the joy in being able to have such a varied career. They said: “I’m happy I get to have my fingers in many pies. I work in TV and I never saw a musical theatre career on the horizon so I’m very grateful I can work and not just rely on drag gigs.”
On Saturday (January 3), a number of venues across Liverpool, Chester and Manchester will be lit up green in remembrance of the star – representing some of the cities that held a personal connection to The Vivienne. In Liverpool, St George’s Hall, the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool ONE, and the Liverpool Empire will be amongst those turning green.
In Chester, the Rainbow Tearooms and the Storyhouse will both participate in the action. For Manchester, a number of venues in the Gay Village, including Iconic Bar, on Richmond Street, and Via, on Canal Street, will also be involved on Saturday.
Via on Canal Street will be one of the venues to light up green in memory of The Vivienne(Image: ABNM Photography)
The remembrance event has been curated by John Hyland, creator of LGBTQ+ podcast Proudly Said, and is also being held to raise awareness of The House of the Vivienne charity, which was set up by the performer’s family to support individuals affected by substance use, with a particular focus on ketamine awareness, education and harm reduction.
Speaking about Saturday’s light-up, John said: “A year on, a lot of people are still carrying the loss of James in their own ways. Putting together this visual tribute was about giving that feeling a shared outlet, and letting those in the North West, across Liverpool, Chester and Manchester, reflect what The Vivienne meant to them; whilst also raising awareness of The House of the Vivienne and the work they do to support others.
“It also showcases how incredible these places are for always getting behind their own. James’ family established the charity The House of the Vivienne in their memory, which supports people affected by substance use. This tribute is about remembrance and recognition, and about the region acknowledging the impact of one of its own.”
