The funeral date for iconic comedian Paul O'Grady has been announced. Fans and locals are being invited to attend to mourn TV star, who sadly passed away 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at home at the age of 67 on March 28.
The funeral will take place on Thursday (April 20), with his cortege expected to pass through his home village in Kent. Paul's husband, Andre Portasio, confirmed details of Paul's funeral on local Facebook pages.
As the nation prepare to wave their final goodbyes to the beloved entertainer, Andre shared an image of Paul smiling with white angel's wings. "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 wrote.
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"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."
He added: "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."
A private memorial is also planned for Port Lympne Safari Park - where the 67-year-old was a regular visitor. Paul's grieving loved ones believe he would have wanted the animals he adored to 'be around' during his funeral and they have selected the venue as it is home to more than 900 rare and endangered animals on a 600 acres park.
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