Tributes are pouring in for TV icon and radio star Paul O'Grady, who has died unexpectedly aged 67.
The comedian, actor and writer, also known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening.
Announcing the tragic news in a statement, husband Andre Portasio said: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.
“We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
“He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
“I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.”
The Lily Savage star was "full of life" and "surrounded by his beloved dogs" just hours before he died, according to his pal Malcolm Prince.
The comedian's colleague, who produced Paul's show on BBC Radio 2, saw his friend just hours before he died.
Speaking about the last time he saw the star, he tweeted: "Surrounded by his beloved dogs, he was laughing, smiling, and full of life. He was so proud of 'Annie', so happy to be back on Boom Radio, and he was looking forward to so many new projects."
"And now he's gone. I can't believe it. We have lost a unique talent - and I've lost a dear friend. We were all lucky to have Paul in our lives. My heart goes out to Andre, Paul's family, and friend. Oh how I'll miss him."
Paul quit his Radio 2 job just seven months his shock death after admitting he “wasn’t really happy” with controversial changes at the BBC station.
This included sharing his show on a ’13 weeks on, 13 weeks off’ basis with comedian Rob Beckett.
On his last ever radio show on Sunday August 14, Paul reflected on his time at the station alongside his producer pal.
As he began bidding farewell to his loyal listeners, he joked: “This is one of the longest jobs I’ve ever held down – I only came in to do a few hours for Elaine Paige.”
Paul and Malcolm then announced they were joining Boom Radio with Paul set to host a one off Easter Sunday radio show.
Speaking ahead of the show, the late star said: “It’s great to be working with the team at Boom again. It already feels like my new radio home.
Tributes have been pouring in for Paul, with celebrities, TV stars and charities Paul worked with reflecting on his kind and caring personality.
ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly described O’Grady as “a really special man” and said: “Such sad news. Paul O’Grady – funny, fearless, brave, kind and wise.
“Will be sorely missed. A really special man.”
Susanna Reid said on Good Morning Britain: "He was so funny and so compassionate and so loving".
Carol Vorderman tweeted: "Paul O'Grady. Already giving them raucous, ripping up the rulebook, mischief making, calling it out, loving hell in heaven. Paul, what are we meant to do without you?"
Amanda Holden said: "Woken up to this sad, sad news. I loved Paul. He was brilliantly opinionated, searingly sharp and very funny. I loved our conversations. I can't quite believe it. Thoughts with Andre and their family".
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “Paul wasn’t just a brilliant comedian and broadcast personality but a much admired campaigner for LGBT+ equality and animal rights.
“He supported my work for many decades and was a valued patron of the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
“Paul was planning to lead our forthcoming campaign for the police to apologise for their historic persecution of the LGBT+ community. We will miss him. Our sincere condolences to his partner Andre and to all who loved him.
“Paul was one of the loveliest people you could ever meet. Everyone whose lives he touched will miss him greatly, as will those who enjoyed his wit and admired his compassion.”
During his career, he hosted The Paul O’Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s multi-award-winning For The Love Of Dogs.
He also hosted ITV celebrity game show, Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up.
O’Grady took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, as he hosted the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017.
Last year he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, an organisation for which he was an ambassador.
In August of 2022 he presented his final BBC Radio 2 show having hosted the Sunday afternoon programme for nearly 14 years.
Born in Birkenhead, on the Wirral, Merseyside, O’Grady’s mother’s maiden name was Savage – which is believed to have inspired his famous drag alter ego.
He began his career performing as Lily Savage in the 1970s whilst working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council, going on to tour northern England as part of drag duo the Playgirls.
He later settled into a solo show as Savage that ran for eight years at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern, and made a name for himself speaking out about LGBT issues.
O’Grady’s career as Savage took off with TV and radio appearances in character and he was eventually asked to take over from Paula Yates as The Big Breakfast presenter as Savage from 1995 to 1996.
He took on chat show The Lily Savage Show for the BBC for a short run in 1997 and later that year had success as the host of a revived version of gameshow Blankety Blank, which ran until 2002.
His self-titled teatime programme The Paul O’Grady Show aired on ITV from 2004 to 2005, later moving to Channel 4 as The New Paul O’Grady Show.
His love of animals also became a theme of much of his later TV work, including Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans, which aired between 2014 and 2016 and saw him visit Africa to meet baby animals. Following work on the show he became a patron of Orangutan Appeal UK.
Throughout his career O’Grady won numerous accolades including a TV Bafta, a British Comedy Award, and a National Television Award for The Paul O’Grady Show.
He was made an MBE in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to entertainment.
O’Grady was also a talented writer and authored several books, including an autobiographical series detailing his childhood, the creation of Savage and his years in the spotlight.
The series is divided into four titles; At My Mother’s Knee…And Other Low Joints, The Devil Rides Out, Still Standing: The Savage Years, and Open The Cage, Murphy.
Speaking following the publication of the third book in 2012, O’Grady recalled the death of his partner of 25 years, Brendan Murphy, in 2005.
“Grief doesn’t happen immediately, it hits you after a while, because you’ve got all the funeral and the fuss, then when that dies down you find yourself on your own, with time to contemplate what’s happened,” he said.
“I thought, ‘I’m on my own, what do I do now?”‘.
He also spoke about his health at the time, having had two heart attacks, saying: “The worst thing you can do is to sit and fret. I take tablets and have check-ups every eight months when they put me on the treadmill. I say to them, ‘Heart attack or not, I’m hopeless on treadmills!”‘
O’Grady has also penned two other books, including Paul O’Grady’s Country Life, about his love of rural living.
During the coronavirus lockdown, he wrote his debut children’s book, Eddie Albert And The Amazing Animal Gang, which was published in September 2021.
