Despite his heart problems, Paul O’Grady continued to "live life to the full" as his cause of death was confirmed today.
The TV icon passed away "unexpectedly but peacefully" at his Kent home on March 28 - he was 67-years-old.
His death certificate has revealed that he died from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, or SADS, is when someone dies suddenly following a cardiac arrest and no obvious cause can be found, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Paul had previously suffered three heart attacks before the age of 65. Heart disease also ran in his family and both his parents died the same way, writes The Mirror.
Before his death, Paul had opened up about his ongoing health battles but said he had “no fear” after losing many of his friends to AIDS in the 1980s.
He told our sister paper: "I do count my blessings.
"I have had two heart attacks, and if I get to 60 that will be amazing. I don't fear anything nowadays.”
He added: "There has to be an angel out there. They are trying to steer me out of trouble 24 hours a day."
Speaking about his first heart attack, Paul said: “I’d sort of been waiting for it... all our family has heart disease. But I never thought I wasn’t going to make it. God no!”
Paul suffered his second heart attack whilst in Waitrose supermarket in 2006 – hee described as being “like an earthquake” before thinking “I’ll be ok in a minute”.
However, Paul didn't go to the hospital straight away, he went home and made himself meatloaf and ice cream before taking a painkiller and an aspirin.
In 2014, Paul had a third heart scare which led to him being admitted to hospital after he became unwell on the way to film his chat show.
His heart stopped while he was in the ambulance and he had to be resuscitated.
When asked what happens when you die, Paul said there was just “nothing”.
He continued: "Everyone asks: 'Did you see anything?' No, sorry. Nothing. No heavenly choirs, no light at the end of the tunnel."
Despite his health problems, Paul – who still smoked up until his death – said he would rather die young and live life to the full.
He told the Mirror at the time: “I’d rather live life to the full, even if that’s five or 10 years. That’s better to me than sitting at home and living for 30 years.”
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