She's breaking down barriers on Dancing on Ice as the first drag artist to compete in the hit ITV skating contest, and fans were upset for The Vivienne as she suffered a nasty fall. The Vivienne tumbled during Sunday night's semi-final and viewers said it was "such a shame" she had made the mistake during the celebs' solo skate-off to Paul McCartney's song Live and Let Die.
The routine, without the pro partners, appeared to get off to a good start until The Vivienne fell to her knees and crashed to the ice, sliding into the barrier. @lupone_shiri tweeted: "I feel very bad for The Vivienne I must admit, that wasn’t a nice fall #DancingOnIce."
@soph_louise95 gasped: "Me and my family all went 'aghhhh' at the same time when The Vivienne fell! That was a shame!" And @SeanieQuigley27 said: "I enjoyed the skate battle well done as always to all five semi finalists :) and I’m glad The Vivienne is okay after that fall on the ice."
READ MORE:
Viewers were impressed that the stunning RuPaul's Drag Race UK composed herself to go on to perform an emotional routine to Over The Rainbow from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. @julietb3 admired: "All my votes went on The Vivienne because I loved her skate, no sympathy but a lot of respect for skating like that after a fall."
In her VT before the skate The Vivienne opened up about life as a youngster. When she came out onto the ice she had red hair like Dorothy in the film.
She explained that as a young boy she fell in love with The Wizard of Oz because it made her feel like "anything was possible." After her performance she told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that drag was "under attack" and told viewers that drag queens "are nothing to be feared."
"It's going to make a brilliant TikTok so I'm happy it happened," she joked about her fall. She then added: "To be able to do this, especially at a time now when drag is fully under attack, to show that drag is nothing but entertainment. We're nothing to be feared. We just want to have fun."
The Vivienne and her professional skating partner Colin Grafton scored a nearly perfect 39.5 out of 40 with Ashley Banjo booed as he scored the pair 9.5 unlike his fellow judges who awarded a 10. As the praise came pouring in, fans stepped up to defend The Vivienne over some tweets of 'abuse and hate.'
@ollieollieGA tweeted: "Oh my god… looking at some of the tweets under the #DancingOnIce tag. Really? 2023 and we still have abuse and hate? Viv was amazing!! But not only were people judging the skate, they abuse the message of the skate."
They added: "It really isn’t on. Come on Viv!!!" And @kellymew_ agreed: "I know it’s so frustrating!" @JMRGBY88 said: "Not me bawling my eyes out at @THEVIVIENNEUK saying 'we are nothing to be feared.'
"I hope people see her and realise drag and the LGBTQIA+ community are here and we aren’t going away because of a few bigots. #DancingOnIce." @NotGivingUp_hmm said: "Turned TV on - #DancingOnIce on. Obvs went to change channel but then saw @THEVIVIENNEUK was on and calling out the hate against #DragQueens on primetime MSM. YES, QUEEN!"
Singer Liam Halewood, who has worked with The Vivenne for years, said: "She is the humblest person about her success, she has never once forgotten her roots through all of her journey and if anyone deserves to be a winner it's her because she just truly deserves it."
READ NEXT:
