Neighbours of comedian and TV presenter Paul O'Grady have been invited to line the streets as the nation prepares to say goodbye to the much-loved star.
Paul, 67, died 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at his home on March 28 his husband Andre Portascio said. It was later confirmed he died as a result of sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Andre has confirmed a private funeral will take place today (Thursday, April 20). And according to the Mirror, residents in the village where he lived in Kent have been invited to pay their respects as his funeral procession passes through.
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A private memorial is also planned for Port Lympne Safari Park - where Paul was a regular visitor. Widowed Andre shared the details of Paul's funeral on local Facebook pages as the nation prepares to say goodbye.
"I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of support and love I have received since the passing of our beloved Paul O'Grady" he said in a post accompanied by a photograph of the entertainer smiling broadly while wearing white angel's wings.
"Your kind messages, beautiful flowers, and thoughtful texts of condolences have brought me comfort and solace during this difficult time.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the support and love I have received from our community, and we want to thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity."
Regarding the funeral he said; "As a mark of respect and as Paul would have wanted, we will be holding a private funeral on Thursday, 20th April 2023.
"This information has not been made public, but I wanted to share it with local residents. While the funeral will be a private ceremony, as many of you know, Paul cared a lot about his local community.
"We have therefore requested that the funeral procession passes through Aldington before heading to the church, as a way of marking Paul's affection for the area.
"We would therefore like to invite all locals to join us in paying our respects to Paul in Aldington Village between 14:10 - 14:45 on Thursday.
"In order to avoid road congestion and public disorder, we kindly ask all residents to treat this invitation personally and if attending to stand on either Roman Road, Forge Hill, or New Road Hill so to respect the villagers and the local area.
"Please note for public safety Church Road as well as Knoll Hill will be closed on the day of the procession. We kindly ask everyone to respect the family's wishes and maintain social distancing throughout the event. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time."
In Birkenhead on the Wirral, where Paul was born and brought up, dog owners will also today line his hometown's streets with their pets as a tribute to the huge dog-lover.
Fan and organiser of the event Janine Ferguson is requesting fans bring books of condolences and their dogs as a sign of respect and to represent the late stars' adoration for animals.
The plan is for people to line the streets with their families and bring their dogs as a sign of respect. I’ve asked for all local rescue dogs and cats' homes to attend as well so we can collect donations from everyone there" she told the Liverpool Echo.
“It only started off as a small idea but it has gone absolutely mad. I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive reaction and the feedback."
