The East Yorkshire team behind Paul O’Grady’s dog food range have paid tribute to their famous brand ambassador, following his sudden death.
The television and radio personality, renowned for his chat and quiz show hosting as well as his former alter ego Lily Savage, passed away earlier this week.
Since 2018 he had worked with Burgess Pet Care at Pollington, going on to secure major retail listings for the Paul O’Grady’s No Nasties range.
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A spokesperson for the business said: “The Burgess Pet Care team is shocked and saddened by the news that Paul 'O Grady has passed away. He was a pleasure to work with, and his passion and dedication to the wellbeing of animals, dogs in particular, were evident in everything that he did. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time."
He was seen as one of the highest profile dog lovers in the UK, having presented the Battersea-based For the Love of Dogs show for 10 seasons, with an 11th having been set to air.
The partnership between the family-owned business and the evergreen comedian was driven by a shared desire to create a great value dog food, made with natural ingredients that owners could always trust.
O’Grady visited the site in Pollington, spoke with the pet nutrition experts and looked at formulas with head vet, Dr Suzanne Moyes, prior to launch.
Initially sold online and via independent supply deals, in late 2020, B&M Stores put it in more than 400 outlets across the UK.
He was a vociferous campaigner for animal rights, with observers listing it as a passion alongside his staunch support for LGBT+ equality.
He died “unexpectedly, but peacefully” on Tuesday evening, at the age of 67. The company will decide the way forward for the brand at the appropriate time, it added.
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