Details for the funeral of dog hero, comedian and TV presenter Paul O'Grady, have been confirmed and fans are invited to line the streets to mourn him.
Many are expected to bring their dogs to watch the cortege as it passes through his adopted home town of Aldington in Kent as a mark of respect for his love of animals.
Paul's funeral will be held this Thursday, April 20, following his death on March 28, at age 67 from cardiac arrhythmia.
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A private memorial is also planned for Port Lympne Safari Park, where he was a regular visitor. Paul's 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-acre park.
Paul's husband shared the details of the funeral on local Facebook pages as the nation prepared to say goodbye this week.
Andre Portasio released a new picture of the entertainer smiling broadly while wearing white angel's wings and wrote: "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.
"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.
"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 statement shared by family at the time of Paul's death revealed the Lily Savage star had died 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at the age of 67. The official death certificate confirmed that Paul died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
The British Heart Foundation describes sudden arrhythmic death syndrome - or SADS - as a person dying suddenly following a cardiac arrest and no obvious cause can be found.
Paul had spoken openly about his battles with heart disease and had survived three heart attacks before the age of 65.
His death certificate, obtained by the Daily Express, showed a long-time friend and former PA and agent, Joan Marshrons, registered the entertainer's death six days after he died at home.
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