A RuPaul's Drag Race star took his own life after "struggling" to cope with fame, an inquest heard.
George Ward was initially introduced to the drag scene in Manchester while studying mental health nursing at university and eventually went on to appear on the second season of the cult BBC Three show RuPaul's Drag Race UK - as his alter-ago Cherry Valentine. However the 'extravagant' 28-year-old was found dead in his flat last September, while his flatmate was at a concert, LancsLive reports.
The inquest heard that Mr Ward - who used he/they pronouns when not in drag and was genderfluid - had been "disowned" by their family at 18 after coming out as gay. After studying mental health nursing at the University of Cumbria, he moved to London with a female friend from home, and was announced as a contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race UK in December 2020.
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When filming for the show was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Ward went back to the NHS to assist in vaccination efforts. In a post mortem report surrounding the circumstances of Mr Ward's death, their friend Kate - who he shared a flat with in Hornsey, north London - said she had noticed changes in his sleeping pattern in the weeks leading up to his death.
The report stated: "[Kate] stated that he seemed normal [in the weeks leading up to his death], but recently noticed that he had been sleeping late and getting up late... The subject was a successful drag queen, and [his friend] believes he had been struggling with his rise to fame after being on RuPaul's Drag Race.
"[Their friend] also said [Ward]'s ex-partner had recently got engaged. [The friends] would regularly chat about their struggles, but [his friend] believed that Ward's extravagant behaviour was a mask.
"[Ward] previously suffered from depression... this is something he has battled with."
On September 18, 2022, Ward took his own life when his flatmate was out at a concert. She returned home that evening to see a clothes rack blocking the door to his room, and a note saying, 'Kate, please read this and do not go in'.
The friend forced the door ajar but was unable to fully open the door to reach her friend. She phoned emergency services, who were unable to resuscitate him.
The inquest was told Mr Ward had recently "rekindled" his relationship with his family, who came from an English Traveller community in Darlington, County Durham. Three A4 pages of suicide notes were found in his box room; one addressed to his friend, Kate, and two others addressed to his family and other unspecified people.
Recording a verdict of suicide, Assistant Coroner Dr Peter Straker paid tribute to Mr Ward, by amending his occupation to read 'drag queen'. Dr Straker said: "I will return the verdict that George Ward killed himself. Under occupation... I'm going to edit this. I am going to put, 'drag queen' under occupation. It was previously left blank.
"[Ward's family] have my greatest sympathy at this time, and I am very sad that it is someone so young who dies in this way."
In a tribute to their son following the news of his death, Mr Ward's family said in a statement: "As his family, we are still processing his death and our lives will never be the same. We understand how much he is loved and how many lives he has inspired and touched. We love you Georgie.”
During his career, Mr Ward also appeared in a music video for British artist Charlie XCX's 2021 single Good Ones. They were also the star of their own BBC Documentary - Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud, in 2022, in which he returned to the Traveller community.
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