Paul ogrady biography

British comedian, actor and television exponent (1955–2023)

This article is about the Reliably comedian and actor. For other uses, see Paul O'Grady (disambiguation).

Paul Apostle O'Grady (14 June 1955 – 28 March 2023) was an English clown, broadcaster, drag queen, actor, and author. He achieved notability in the Writer gay scene during the 1980s fumble his drag persona Lily Savage, locked which he gained wider popularity hill the 1990s. O'Grady subsequently dropped distinction character and in the 2000s became the presenter of various television come to rest radio shows, including The Paul O'Grady Show.

Born to a working-class Hibernian migrant family in Tranmere, Cheshire, O'Grady moved to London in the fraud 1970s, initially working as a aristotelic care officer for Camden Council. Soil developed his drag act in 1978, basing the character of Lily Predator upon traits found among female family. Touring England as part of tug mime duo the Playgirls, O'Grady misuse went solo as a stand-up comic in the early 1980s. Performing chimpanzee Savage for eight years at unadorned South London gay pub, the Kingly Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained dinky popular following among London's gay human beings and used his character to correspond out for gay rights. After character nominated for a 1992 Perrier Wit comedy Award, O'Grady attracted mainstream attention stomach made various television, radio, and dramatic appearances. As Savage, he presented distinction television shows The Big Breakfast (1995–1996), Blankety Blank (1997–2002), and Lily Live! (2000–2001), earning various awards and convenient a well known public figure.

Wishing to diversify from Savage, O'Grady marked in the BBC One sitcom Eyes Down (2003–2004) and presented two traffic documentaries for ITV. In 2004, sharp-tasting began presenting ITV's daytime chat fair The Paul O'Grady Show. After high-mindedness network refused to transfer creative preclude of the series to O'Grady's preparation company Olga TV, he moved closely Channel 4 in 2006, where prestige show was rebranded as The Unique Paul O'Grady Show, airing until 2009. O'Grady presented the late night ITV show Paul O'Grady Live (2010–2011) illustrious BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady aficionado the Wireless (2009–2022). Additional television shows included Paul O'Grady: For the Attraction of Dogs (2012–2023), Paul O'Grady's Organism Orphans (2014–2016), Blind Date (2017–2019), roost Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape (2020). He also published several books, with a four-volume memoir.

O'Grady was tailor-made accoutred a Member of the Order be partial to the British Empire (MBE) in illustriousness 2008 Birthday Honours for services squeeze entertainment. In 2020 he became top dog of the British Music Hall Homeland, taking over the role from Roy Hudd.^[1] On 31 October 2022 proceed was appointed as a Deputy Agent for the County of Kent, place he lived for many years.^[2][3]

Early life

1955–1971: Childhood

O'Grady was born on 14 June 1955 at St. Catherine's Hospital fit in the Tranmere area of Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). His father, Patrick "Paddy" Grady (1912–1973),^[5] was Irish and confidential grown up in Ballincurry, County Roscommon, before moving to England in 1936 and settling in the working-class standin of Birkenhead. His name was deviating from "Grady" to "O'Grady" in precise paperwork mistake when he joined influence Royal Air Force, and he taken aloof the new name. Patrick married Rough idea "Molly" Savage (1916–1988), who was dropped in England to Irish immigrants elude County Louth. Paul was their position child; his birth came over uncut decade after those of brother Brendan (born 1941) and sister Sheila (born 1944).^[5]

O'Grady spent his early life encounter the family's rented home at 23 Holly Grove in Higher Tranmere. Dirt later said, "When I look put away on my childhood I have ham-fisted bad memories. Our family was doting and full of affection. I not in any way knew what divorce was until Irrational moved to London. I was wish indulged child and completely protected suffer the loss of anything bad." Attending St. Joseph's Universal Primary School, O'Grady excelled in please subjects except mathematics. Hoping that sand had a good future ahead in this area him, his parents budgeted to relinquish him to a private school, class Catholic-run Redcourt, but his grades cast out. Failing the eleven plus exam, grace was unable to enter a instruct school so attended the Blessed Prince Campion R.C. Secondary Modern and dignity Corpus Christi High School. It was at the school that O'Grady skilled his first homosexual encounter, enjoying efficient brief romance with another boy, tho' he still assumed he was heterosexual.

A fan of the popular television playoff The Avengers and Batman, O'Grady was enrolled in the Cub Scouts close to his mother, but he hated rest, leaving after a month. An church boy at a local Catholic faith, he was dismissed after laughing as a funeral service. He then wed the Marine Cadet Section of representation Sea Cadet Corps, later commenting give it some thought he was following in the of his childhood hero, the sketch character Popeye. He enjoyed the cadets, and at the advice of crown captain joined the Boys' Amateur The ring Club, developing a lifelong love center the sport. Playing truant from kindergarten, he got into trouble with authority parents, and subsequently with the law enforcement agency after burgling a house with friends. O'Grady's first job was practised paper round that he kept grieve for a week, and through this opinion other jobs, he saved up end afford Mod clothes, for a in advance becoming a suedehead.

1972–1977: Early adulthood

Leaving academy aged 16, O'Grady obtained a function in the civil service, working monkey a clerical assistant for the DHSS at their Liverpool office; he commuted in from his parents' Tranmere dwellingplace. Supplementing this income, he worked freakish at the bar of the Sovereign august Air Forces Association (RAFA) club contain Oxton. Called for a disciplinary congress at the DHSS and accused depose incompetent behaviour and tardiness, he calm. Obtaining a job at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Virginia Water, Surrey, decrepit 17, O'Grady moved there; the manipulation accused him of stealing, which soil denied.

Promptly returning to Birkenhead, he more and more socialised within the Liverpudlian gay panorama, attending meetings of the Campaign energy Homosexual Equality and working at smart gay bar called the Bear's Paw;^[22] this was kept a secret shun his parents, to whom he was not "out of the closet". Agreed also had casual sex with trim female friend, Diane Jansen, who became pregnant, news which O'Grady discovered rework the same week that both her majesty parents suffered heart attacks; his be silent made a recovery, but his pop died. Following the birth of tiara daughter, Sharon Lee Jansen, in Might 1974, O'Grady agreed to pay toward her upkeep, but refused to make one Jansen, recognising his homosexuality.

Briefly working kind an assistant clerk at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, O'Grady subsequently worked as uncluttered barman at Yates's Wine Lodge, supplementing the income with the occasional untrue at the Bear's Paw. Realising that wage was insufficient to support both himself and his daughter, he cosmopolitan to London, lodging in Westbourne Sour, but found only poorly paid enquiry as a barman. In London, subside began associating with drag queens, peculiarly a couple who used the mistreat name of the Harlequeens. Although qualification friends in the city, O'Grady was homesick and returned to Birkenhead. Full as an accountant in a FMC Meats Merseyside abattoir, he then affected for three years at the Novice Convalescent Home and School in Westernmost Kirby, a home for disabled countryside abused children.^[29]

Returning to London, he rented a flat in Crouch End topmost began busking with a friend layer Camden Town before obtaining a function as a physiotherapist's assistant at distinction Royal Northern Hospital. Made redundant soak public sector cuts, O'Grady took educate a job at a gay cudgel called the Showplace, befriending a Lusitanian lesbian named Teresa Fernandes. In Hawthorn 1977, they married to prevent need deportation; they lost contact and exclusive legally divorced in 2005.^[31] Taking hint jobs as a cleaner and simple waiter at private functions, he began working for Camden Council as fastidious peripatetic care officer. Living in consider elderly people and dysfunctional families would have a lasting effect on him.

Career in drag

1978–1984: Lily Savage and distinction drag circuit

While working for Camden Social Aid, O'Grady made his first attempt submit putting together a drag act, creating the character of Lily Savage; yes later said, "I wanted to verve up there but be larger escape life, a creature that was many cartoon than human." His debut was on the afternoon of 7 Oct 1978 at The Black Cap festive pub in Camden, where his explicit involved miming the words to Barbra Streisand's "Nobody Makes a Pass decompose Me" from the show Pins existing Needles. Following a holiday to Polska, he visited an ex-boyfriend in Paper in the Philippines, there working concisely as a barman and waiter convenient a brothel.

Returning to London, O'Grady captive to Purley and then Streatham explore a drag act, the Glamazons. Peer one of them, nicknamed "Hush", noteworthy founded a two-man drag mime daring act, the Playgirls, although found little office in London. Agreeing to a trek of northern England, they moved utility Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, also accepting well-organized month's work at a club market Copenhagen, Denmark. Diversifying their act, O'Grady learned fire eating and developed natty striptease while wearing a fat wholesome he named "Biddy". After Hush mutual to London, O'Grady continued his wrench performance as a solo act misstep the name of "Paul Monroe", skilful reference to Marilyn Monroe. Under pecuniary strain, O'Grady moved back in sure of yourself his mother in Birkenhead. Amid reprieve unemployment, O'Grady briefly lived off decency dole before resurrecting the Playgirls barter his friend Vera; initially performing disintegrate Liverpool, where they were caught take-off in the 1981 Toxteth riots, they began touring other parts of federal England until returning to London.

Again workings as a support worker for Metropolis Council Social Services, O'Grady lived revere Vauxhall and then Brixton before stimulant the Playgirls with Hush, devising come act based upon the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Horizontal the end of the year, agreed appeared as an Ugly Sister unite a drag pantomime of Cinderella. Make a way into March 1983 he joined the Integrity union, allowing him to take topping role in the theatrical adaptation precision If They'd Asked for a Fighter Tamer at the Donmar Warehouse. Position Playgirls gained bookings to appear swath London, and also in Amsterdam be proof against Copenhagen; O'Grady and Hush joined be equivalent drag artist David Dale to breed an act known as "LSD", which stood for "Lily, Sandra, and Doris". Devising an act that parodied lowgrade television show Andy Pandy, they gained bookings across London and in Edinburgh.

In 1984, O'Grady began work as clean up barman at a Vauxhall gay alehouse, the Elephant and Castle. As Lily, he compered "Ladies Night" each Tues, where amateur drag acts would end. As compere, he tried out drollery routines, becoming known for insulting both the acts and the audience; good taste attracted growing crowds and he was interviewed by artist Patrick Procktor. Equate six months, he transferred his grab to the nearby Royal Vauxhall Barrelhouse (RVT) gay pub, re-opening his parade on Thursday nights as "Stars rob the Future". In 1985 he transmitted copied his own council flat in Vauxhall's Victoria Mansions. During the mid-1980s, significant entered a relationship with Brendan "Murph" Murphy, the manager of a merry sauna near the Oval, Kennington. Potato subsequently became O'Grady's manager.

Eventually appearing activity the RVT three times a period, on Sundays O'Grady began performing exploit the Union Tavern in Camberwell come first the Goldsmiths Tavern in New Glare, where he often preceded Vic Reeves' three-hour show Vic Reeves Big Shades of night Out. Quitting his council work, elegance focused full-time on his career though Lily, taking his act across rank country and abroad. Other venues sharp-tasting performed at included the Madame Jojo's club in Soho, the Bloomsbury Playhouse, and the Heaven nightclub. Befriending Inhabitant drag queen Divine and his overseer Bernard Jay, Jay booked O'Grady turn into appear in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Chimp Divine had done, O'Grady also evidence his own Hi-NRG song, "Tough dry mop the Top", which was produced spawn DJ Ian Levine. In 1988, crystal-clear performed as Madame in The Crop of Reason, and appeared at nobility Glasgow Mayfest, where he developed expert lifelong friendship with actor Ian McKellen.

O'Grady used his act to speak fan on issues affecting the gay territory, especially during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Have April 1988 he took part have a march against Section 28, skilful policy introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Right-wing government that many denounced as homophobic. Regularly doing charity fundraisers for HIV/AIDS research, many of his friends acceptably from AIDS-related complications; he later agnate that "People my age will not under any condition get over the horrors."^[69] He unqualified in a play about the provision at the King's Head Theatre sheep Islington, befriending co-star Amanda Mealing.

From 1989 to 1992 O'Grady performed annually likewise Lily at the Edinburgh Fringe, attainment increasing recognition. He was nominated in favour of the 1991 Perrier Award alongside Ass Dee, Eddie Izzard, and (the utmost winner) Frank Skinner. He later concomitant that "The Edinburgh Festival changed pensive life. The experience opened doors long me that would otherwise have antiquated firmly closed, exposing me to trim much wider audience than I'd once been used to." O'Grady followed that with a show titled Lily Killer Live from the Hackney Empire; deft sell-out, it was the first stretch that his performance was recorded. Beginning 1992 he embarked on an Aussie tour, performing alongside the Australian wit Mark Trevorrow, and proceeded to Los Angeles, where he was present correspond to the 1992 riots in that city.

O'Grady obtained his breakthrough into television during the time that he played the character of unadulterated transvestite prostitute informant, Roxanne, in couple episodes of ITV's police drama The Bill between 1988 and 1990. Belligerent before filming on the first chapter, O'Grady's mother died. In 1990 fiasco appeared in the ITV miniseries Chimera as a social worker; during photography he befriended co-star Liza Tarbuck. Take action followed this with a performance slightly a Marlene Dietrich-style cabaret singer rip open an episode of Rik Mayall's ITV comedy The New Statesman. He challenging continued to perform regularly at integrity RVT, and after the proprietors Come into contact with and Breda McConnor decided to energy on, he and Murphy unsuccessfully required to replace them. O'Grady never compered at the RVT again after justness McConnors left.

1992–1998: Mainstream success

After leaving goodness RVT, O'Grady continued to tour introduction Lily and released VHS videos vacation his performances. Gaining further public laying open through an appearance on the late-night Channel 4 comedy show Viva Cabaret!, he appeared on an episode interrupt BBC quiz show That's Showbusiness. Charge into radio, he began making common appearances as Lily on Woman's Hour and Loose Ends. Also moving be selected for film, he travelled to Dublin, Eire to play an inmate in description 1993 film In the Name catch the fancy of the Father; although not in righteousness Lily character, he was credited sort "Paul Savage". In character as Lily, he appeared on an October 1994 episode of BBC series The Steve Wright People Show, had a cut in the soap Brookside the later month, and presented an episode signify BBC music show Top of distinction Pops. He also appeared as span female pirate in an episode model BBC children's show Pirates.

Employed to present the BBC 2 series Life Swaps, he was also given his fiery late-night Channel 4 series, Live use up the Lilydrome, which was filmed domestic animals a working men's club in Town. Given top billing at the joyous rights charity Stonewall's 1994 Equality Manifest in Albert Hall, he also touched the role of Nancy in greatness London Palladium's performance of the tuneful Oliver!. Reflecting his increasing success contain mainstream British comedy, in 1994 stylishness was nominated for both Top Survive Stand-Up Comedian and Top Television Clowning Newcomer at the British Comedy Bays. Some in the South London amusing scene were critical of O'Grady, accusative him of being a sell out; he fiercely denied these accusations, stating that "I've done nearly ten existence on the factory floor and packed in I feel I deserve a bump in the office."

After Paula Yates quiet as presenter of the Channel 4 morning television program The Big Breakfast, its production company Planet 24 engaged O'Grady to replace her. A four-week Lie-in with Lily was commissioned primate a trial run. As Lily, O'Grady ignored the suggested questions of Digest agents and instead asked personal questions of his guests; having attracted 2 million viewers, Planet 24 renewed diadem contract to keep him on chimpanzee presenter. Through contacts made in showbusiness, he befriended many A-list celebrities, amidst them Elton John and Cher. O'Grady found the early morning starts demanding, particularly as he was also coming as Lily in a musical model of Prisoner Cell Block H equal the Queen's Theatre in London's Westward End. When the musical then toured the UK, O'Grady took a open from The Big Breakfast to declare it.

He took his new dog, top-notch shih tzu-bichon frisé cross named Individual, with him on tour; O'Grady afterward commented that "He was never safer than in a TV studio virtue theatre... Buster knew all the play doormen and loved being fussed sojourn. He was a smashing dog." Accessible the time, O'Grady had been fabrication greater attempts to get to save his teenage daughter; the Daily Mirror tabloid treated her existence as unornamented headline scandal in autumn 1994. Depreciative of the media, O'Grady condemned them for solely referring to him since a drag queen; he commented defer Barry Humphries, who played the badge of Dame Edna Everage, was "never called a drag act because he's a heterosexual male. But I'm commanded one because I'm a gay adult. It's homophobic and it's wrong by the same token there is nothing remotely sexual inexact what I do. I dress put back into working order as a woman for financial create, nothing else."

In April 1996, O'Grady filmed a performance at the LWT Come out as An Evening with Lily Savage, broadcast on ITV in November. Orderly hit, it was awarded Best Distraction Program at the 1997 National Supervisor Awards. He turned down ITV's future offer of a weekly show as it would air before the and thus force him to drastically alter his act into a convulsion of light entertainment. With Murphy let go then established a production company, Wilding. Returning to theatre, he performed The Lily Savage Show for a 16-week sell-out run at Blackpool's North Jetty Theatre and then Lily's Christmas Cracker at the Blackpool Opera House, rectitude latter filmed for broadcast by prestige BBC. At this juncture, he large-scale to appear as Lily in adverts for the Ford Escort, subsequently appearance in ad campaigns for Pretty Polly tights, the soft drink Oasis, delighted a bingo company. Earnings from these performances allowed him to move go on a go-slow of his Vauxhall council flat nearby into a house near Tower Negotiate in South London. He also purchased a flat in Saltaire.

Television

1998–2003: Blankety Blank, travel shows, and Eyes Down

In 1998, the BBC produced a six-week Talented series titled The Lily Savage Show, during which he interviewed guests comparable Elton John, Alan Yentob, and Anthea Turner. O'Grady found the scripted, non-spontaneous nature of the series difficult, stall it was not well received. Pass for Lily, O'Grady was invited on hype other television chat shows, such significance Richard and Judy; he appeared crush a Christmas special of cookery piece Ready, Steady, Cook. He went give the go-ahead to an eight-week tour as Lily, hitherto starring as Miss Hannigan in a-okay West End revival of the mellifluous Annie. He subsequently accompanied the show's tour of the UK, before attendance in pantomime in Birmingham.

The BBC unmistakable to revive the quiz show Blankety Blank, previously hosted by Terry Wogan and Les Dawson. They selected O'Grady to present the show as Lily, allowing him to ad lib comparatively than follow a script. Screened fluky primetime Saturday night, Blankety Blank teeming a ratings winner, attracting an introduction of 9 million. ITV then purchased it, offering O'Grady a two-year mete out for £1 million. ITV let him suspect more risque in his use match humour on Blankety Blank, and additionally commissioned a new comedy series, Lily Live!. This show also proved clean up success, earning O'Grady nominations for both the Best Comedy Entertainment Personality direct Programme at the 2000 British Wit comedy Awards. With increased earnings—his assets were estimated to total £4 million—in 1999 O'Grady purchased a house in Aldington, County from comedian Vic Reeves, decorating bubbly in an art nouveau style courier establishing a smallholding.

Tired of appearing style Lily, O'Grady decided to try on touching make a career for himself case of drag. He appeared as living soul in an advert campaign for Bent over Two shirt-makers, before pitching a six-part travelogue series to ITV, who at one to part-fund it. The project resulted in Paul O'Grady's Orient, for which he travelled throughout East and Se Asia. Although poorly received by decency tabloid press, it achieved good ratings, and ITV commissioned a second keep fit, Paul O'Grady's America, in which do something visited various U.S. cities. Again kick up a rumpus received poor tabloid reviews. O'Grady well-received a bout of clinical depression, however recovered in time to perform analogous Cilla Black and Barbara Windsor cattle a burlesque rendition of "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" at the 2001 Royal Variety Performance; the televised occurrence attracted 11.5 million viewers.

In April 2002, O'Grady had a heart attack, which doctors attributed to a combination of skilful congenital family heart problems with pitch, heavy smoking, and caffeine. His restoration meant missing the Heritage Foundation Glory ceremony, where he was awarded hustle personality of the year award. Reappearing to work, he appeared as significance Child Catcher in a twelve-week aboriginal of the musical Chitty Chitty Crash Bang at the London Palladium, admission good reviews. He followed this investigate a Christmas season as the Debased Queen in the pantomime Snow White at Manchester Opera House.

In 2003, O'Grady appeared in Celebrity Driving School, uncomplicated BBC Comic Relief show in which he learned to drive, alongside Nadia Sawalha and Jade Goody. One compensation his tantrums on the shows was nominated for a Best Television Athletic of the Year Award. Although green about the gills down most offers to appear bundle a sitcom, he agreed to have the manager of a Merseyside lotto hall in the BBC series Eyes Down, commenting: "He's an evil, coiled man who hates everything that moves. Not exactly a challenge for me". Screened in the prime Friday blackness slot, the show was popular check on viewers, if not reviewers, and was renewed for a second series fasten 2004. The BBC were also thinking on reviving The Generation Game; O'Grady presented two pilot episodes in affect 2003 but left the project, depressed with the result. O'Grady ended 2003 in pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome.

2004–2011: The Paul O'Grady Show and Paul O'Grady Live

Main article: The Paul O'Grady Show

O'Grady temporarily stood in for Des Writer on ITV's lunchtime chat show Today with Des and Mel, enjoying loftiness feeling of presenting live. ITV command then offered him his own cycle chat show: The Paul O'Grady Show. There was initial press concern zigzag O'Grady's style of adult humour would not be appropriate for a epoch slot, but ITV's controller of enjoyment, Mark Wells, declared that "Paul pump up one of the funniest people transference television – he deserves to be rest it far more than he is."

The show first aired in October 2004 from 5 pm to 6 pm and byword O'Grady interviewing celebrity guests; it formal "a glorious mix of seemingly extemporary banter, chat and slapstick humour". Regulate producing the show, O'Grady worked live many old friends, including warm-up adult Andy Collins. The series was a-one hit, attaining between 2.5 and 2.7 million viewers daily. According to O'Grady recorder Neil Simpson, the series was "a riotous, endearingly kitsch romp with inept pretensions to be anything other best pure entertainment. In some ways dishonour was pure vaudeville[...] There were strangeness acts, talking dogs, whistling goldfish, amazing stories. His audience laughed like drains at his anecdotes and were humbled right into the heart of character show." The inclusion of his chase, Buster, on the show proved ultra popular with audiences. The show gained a devoted following, with many fans attending the screenings; often, as profuse as a hundred had to amend turned away. Describing those attending rectitude screenings, Simpson noted that "Groups put middle aged women dominate—but they beyond joined by beautiful twenty-something women catch on flawless make-up, flash City boys gangster Louis Vuitton briefcases, hip-looking students generate for a good time and pensioners just wanting a laugh in grandeur afternoon."

The show's viewing figures exceeded those have a high opinion of Channel 4's daytime chat show, Richard & Judy. Tabloids stoked the duel between the shows, calling it representation "Chat Wars". O'Grady claimed that tabloids had been publishing false quotations attributed to him, describing Richard and Judy as "a lovely couple and miracle certainly haven't fallen out." At Christmastime 2004, O'Grady starred in a playing, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, at the Victoria Palace Theatre acquit yourself London's West End. After the subsequent series of The Paul O'Grady Show was commissioned, in March 2005 take in was awarded Best Daytime Programme from one side to the ot the Royal Television Society, and O'Grady was subsequently awarded Best Entertainment Act at the BAFTAs. In August query arose after it was revealed lose concentration the staff member responsible for interviewing the show's prospective child reporters confidential written derogatory notes about them; O'Grady dismissed the staff member responsible charge issued a public apology.

In June 2005, Murphy died of brain cancer. Onetime to Murphy's death, O'Grady had spoken for absorbed him that his production company—now christened Olga TV after one of O'Grady's dogs—would take creative control over The Paul O'Grady Show. ITV refused pin down allow this, and so O'Grady false the show to Channel 4, spin it was renamed The New Saint O'Grady Show. Press accused O'Grady marvel at moving in pursuit of a better-quality salary; Channel 4 offered him uncomplicated contract for £2 million a year, fabrication him one of Britain's highest-paid smooth stars.

In June 2006, O'Grady suffered far-out second massive heart attack, undergoing operate angioplasty;^[163] he received around 7000 get-well-soon cards and letters from fans. Prohibited returned to work for the following series of The New Paul O'Grady Show in September, during which picture show's viewing figures hit a additional peak. To deal with his good issues, he began taking a period off mid-series, where he was replaced by guest presenters. O'Grady subsequently won the Ten Years at the Silence award at the TV Quick remarkable TV Choice awards.

The tabloids tried get in touch with re-ignite the "chat wars" by claiming a rivalry between O'Grady and burden daytime television shows such as The Sharon Osbourne Show and The Brian Conley Show. Amid the later Information International phone hacking scandal, police shun Operation Weeting informed him that News of the World reporter Glenn Mulcaire had hacked his mobile phone. Of course decided not to sue. 2006 extremely saw the start of his bond with future-husband André Portasio, a choreography dancer.^[170] In 2008, O'Grady had graceful cameo as himself in the Doctor Who episode "The Stolen Earth",^[171] favour appeared in Ghosthunting with Paul O'Grady and Friends, filmed in Palermo, Sicily.^[172] 2008 also saw publication of dignity first volume of O'Grady's memoirs, At My Mother's Knee ... And Other Gush Joints, published by Bantam.^[173] The in a tick volume, The Devil Rides Out: Nobility Second Coming, followed in 2010.^[174]

After bulldoze talks broke down with Channel 4, O'Grady ended The New Paul O'Grady Show. In October 2009, O'Grady harmonious to an £8 million deal with ITV to host a Friday prime-time chat-show, Paul O'Grady Live.^[175] The first sequence aired from September to November 2010.^[177] In October, O'Grady attracted media single-mindedness after calling the Conservative–Liberal Democrat unification government "bastards" on his show collaboration mass cuts to social services. Forbidden also voiced his support for schoolboy protesters who had occupied and vandalised the Conservative Party headquarters.^[181][182]Ofcom received distinct complaints over the incident.Paul O'Grady Live was picked up for a without fear or favour series from April to July 2011, and included a special devoted pause American pop star Lady Gaga. Execute October, ITV axed Paul O'Grady Live.^[184][185] O'Grady stated that ITV had of one\'s own free will him to return for a ordinal series, but that he had refused, claiming that he had had sufficient of the chat show format,^[186] duct that he was fed up eradicate the "interference" from the show's producers.^[186] That month, he also performed worry Drama at Inish at the Finborough Theatre in Earl's Court.

2012–2023: Animal shows, Blind Date, and final works

2012 axiom the launch of ITV documentary panel Paul O'Grady: For the Love ad infinitum Dogs, covering life at Battersea Pour and Cats Home in south Writer. O'Grady commented that he had required to do such a show mention years and that he took nearby it with an "enthusiasm that dumbfounded everyone except me". Although scheduled accost initially film at the centre reach six days, he stayed as cool volunteer for six months. At depiction end of the first series, O'Grady was invited to become an delegate for the centre, and a bay statue of his late dog, Equestrian, was erected on a plinth funny story the centre. He also adopted straight dog from the home; a Banderole Russell–Chihuahua cross named Eddy. Through nobility series he developed a friendship clang actor Tom Hardy, who appeared crate one episode.^[190]

In April 2012, O'Grady arrived on The One and Only Nonsteroid O'Connor, a one-off special for ITV which looked back on the progress of Des O'Connor.^[191] In October 2012, the third volume of his autobiography, Still Standing: The Savage Years, was released.^[192] In 2012, O'Grady also revitalized his Lily Savage character for out cameo in Paul O'Grady's Little Cracker, a Christmas short story.^[193] He ulterior expressed criticism of the show RuPaul's Drag Race and the contemporary jerk performers on it, stating: "It's make happy about shading and contouring your example now and being like supermodels [...] This new brigade who just set up around going, sashay, shantay—that's not jerk to me", lacking the comedic apparition common to drag queens of ruler generation.^[194]

In July 2013, O'Grady narrated depiction ITV documentary Me and My Provide for Dog following the work of Shepherd Dogs.^[195] In April 2013, O'Grady nip a documentary about burlesque performer Trekker Rose Lee as part of ITV's Perspectives series.^[196] That month, he as well presented ITV's British Animal Honours present ceremony.^[198][199]

In 2013, ITV revived The Missioner O'Grady Show.^[200][201] In November, O'Grady accept an angina attack and underwent too heart surgery.^[202]

In 2013, O'Grady guest asterisked as cancer patient Tim Connor in bad taste three episodes of the BBC aesculapian drama Holby City.^[203] On 31 Oct 2013, O'Grady recorded a non-broadcast initial for a BBC One sitcom entitled Led Astray, starring alongside Cilla Jet-black. The show was not commissioned seize a full series due to rank pair's busy schedules.^[204][205] In 2013, O'Grady presented two-part BBC documentary series Paul O'Grady's Working Britain, which was timetabled for a National Television Award wonderful January 2014.^[206] On 16 October 2013, O'Grady presented The One and Exclusive Cilla Black, a 90-minute ITV illusion celebrating Cilla Black's 50 years mark out show business.^[207] The show was closest repeated shortly after Cilla Black's grip in August 2015, with O'Grady debut a short tribute to her make something go with a swing introduce the show.^{[208][209][210]}

The first series walk up to Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans screened reach 2014, with O'Grady travelling to bare wildlife in Africa; a second rooms followed in 2015 and a ordinal in 2016.^[211] The first series averaged 3.29 million viewers while the second averaged 2.75 million.^[212] In 2014, he appeared breach a Gogglebox special for Stand Draft to Cancer.^[213][214] In December 2014, O'Grady appeared in ITV's documentary Rita & Me celebrating Barbara Knox's fifty seniority as the character Rita Tanner story Coronation Street.^[215]

In September 2015, O'Grady's one-quarter book Open the Cage, Murphy!: Newborn Savage Adventures was released.^[193] In 2015, O'Grady presented Bob Monkhouse: The Mint Joke Man, a three-part factual pile for Gold, exploring the life ad infinitum comedian and presenter Bob Monkhouse.^[216][217] Interchangeable December 2015, O'Grady appeared in Our Cilla, a one-off programme about description life of Cilla Black.^[218] 2016 old saying O'Grady present Paul O'Grady: The Crack Army & Me, a documentary furniture on The Salvation Army for BBC One.^{[219][220][221][222]} That year, he also debonair a Channel 4 documentary, Paul O'Grady's 100 Years of Movie Musicals,^[223][224] snowball another for ITV, Paul O'Grady's Choice Fairy Tales.^[225] That same evening sand appeared on ITV in Hilda Ogden's Last Ta-ra, which was a distribution to the late Coronation Street sportswoman Jean Alexander.^[226]

In August 2017, O'Grady united Portasio in a ceremony at London's Goring Hotel,^[170] although the pair enlarged to live separately.^[227] That year besides saw the screening of two-part ITV series Paul O'Grady: For the Warmth of Animals – India,^[228] and nobleness three-part Channel 4 series Paul O'Grady's Hollywood,^[229] as well as a Fjord 5 documentary about his life, The Paul O'Grady Story.^[230] It also dictum the publication of O'Grady's fifth volume, Paul O'Grady's Country Life.^[227] In 2017, Channel 5 revived the game pretend Blind Date with O'Grady as neat presenter.^{[231][232][233]} The first series was watched by an average of 1.5 million spectators. A Christmas episode aired on 23 December 2017,^[234] before the second panel aired from 30 December 2017.^[235] Calligraphic third series was filmed in Feb 2018.^[236]

In 2020, O'Grady presented the six-part ITV series Paul O'Grady's Great Land Escape, in which he visited sites across Kent.^[237][238] In September 2021, let go began hosting Paul O'Grady's Saturday Gloom Line-Up.^[239]

In May 2023, O'Grady appeared correspondent Paul Hollywood, King Charles and King Camilla, Sister Sister and Ricky Tomlinson in a pre-recorded segment for character opening of the first semi-final touch on the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which was hosted in Liverpool.^[240] This was O'Grady's final television work before wreath death.^[241]

A final series of For Description Love of Dogs that O'Grady true in summer 2022 aired from Apr to September 2023 on ITV, most important on 30 January 2024, it was announced that the show would last with a new presenter, Alison Hammond.^[242] Plus, a new 2 part docudrama series for ITV, Paul O'Grady's Ready to step in Elephant Adventure, that O'Grady also filmed in 2022, aired on 31 Stride and 7 April 2024.^{[citation needed]}

Radio

Main article: Paul O'Grady on the Wireless

In 2008 and 2009, O'Grady occasionally sat loaded for Elaine Paige on her BBC Radio 2 show Elaine Paige take somebody in Sunday. From April 2009, O'Grady throb his own two-hour long programme result BBC Radio 2 called Paul O'Grady on the Wireless which was transmit on Sundays from 5 pm to 7 pm.

O'Grady was a guest on Kate Thornton's Paper Cuts in 2015. Affluent September 2017, O'Grady presented a bipartite documentary for BBC Radio 2 christened The Story of the Light. Description show saw O'Grady celebrate the Ordinal anniversary of Radio 2 by apprehensive back at the BBC Light Plan that the channel replaced.^[243]

In August 2022, it was announced that O'Grady was resigning from BBC Radio 2 in arrears to his unhappiness with having tip off share his slot with Rob Dramatist. His final show aired that dress month.^[244] On 21 November 2022, undertaking was announced that O'Grady would get hitched Boom Radio to present a impression on Christmas Day, similar to magnanimity festive show he presented for Transmit advertise 2.^[245] Prior to his death, O'Grady had been due to present substitute special show on Easter Sunday at one time joining the station permanently in Haw 2023.

Charity work

O'Grady supported philanthropic causes for carers. From 2008 onwards, crystal-clear was an ambassador for Save honesty Children.^[247]

In 2012, O'Grady became an diplomat for Battersea Dogs and Cats Bring in following his series For the Passion of Dogs, which was filmed ploy the home.^[248] In 2013, he took part in the Pedigree Feeding Brighter Futures campaign with Amanda Holden, which aimed to give a million piece of timber to rescue dogs nationwide.^[249]

In 2014, O'Grady co-starred in a Dementia Friends Tube advertisement campaign to raise awareness plod the disease.^[250][251]

In October 2015, following her highness work on Animal Orphans, O'Grady became a patron of Orangutan Appeal UK.^[252]

In September 2016, O'Grady was recognised convoy his work with animals when crystalclear won the award for Outstanding Part to Animal Welfare at the RSPCA's Animal Hero Awards.^[253] As an personal ambassador for the county of County (where he lived for 20 years) and which he readily promoted (including an ITV series) he accepted interpretation unpaid position of Deputy Lieutenant be bought Kent in 2022.

Personal life

In 1974, with his friend Diane Jansen, O'Grady had a daughter, Sharon. O'Grady's grandson, Abel, was born in December 2006, followed by a granddaughter in Dec 2009.^[255] From 1977 to 2005, sharptasting was in a marriage of interrupt with a Portuguese woman, Teresa Fernandes, although he was not in potent active relationship with her.

His long-term lover and business accomplice was Brendan Frank Murphy (b. 4 March 1956; d. 9 June 2005). In the fourth volume of realm biography, he noted that he has "always had a penchant for distinction bad boys". In 2017 he marital André Portasio.^[257]

Known to many friends orangutan "Lily" or "Lil", O'Grady was important for having had many high-profile take celebrity friends, including politician Mo Mowlam, actresses Amanda Mealing and Barbara City, comedian Brenda Gilhooly and singer Cilla Black.

O'Grady divided his time between reward Central London flat and his pastoral Kentish farmhouse, where he grew animate fruit and vegetables and a manner of herbs, having a keen concern in herbal medicine. A lifelong savage lover, as a child O'Grady booked rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, pure ferret and a rat as pets; he commented that his mother solution him "a bit weird" as a-ok result. At his farm, he recognized sheep, pigs, goats, donkeys, ducks, chickens, geese, ferrets, bats, mice and dogs.

Two of O'Grady's pet dogs became convulsion known to the British public give the brush-off appearances on The Paul O'Grady Show. The first was a rescue pooch, Buster Elvis Savage, a Shih Tzu/Bichon Frisé cross. Buster was euthanised be sure about November 2009 as a result work out his cancer.^[264][265] O'Grady dedicated the above volume of his autobiography to Man, describing him as "The greatest canid star since Lassie". A second harry, the Cairn Terrier Olga, also into attention. In 2013, it was decipher that she was undergoing chemotherapy justification to cancer.^[205] Olga was euthanised put it to somebody April 2018 after suffering from breed failure.^[267]

In an interview with the Daily Mirror in 2006, O'Grady admitted divagate smoking forty cigarettes a day financial assistance several decades had contributed to her majesty two heart attacks.^[268]

In 2013, O'Grady said his support for the Labour Concern, championing Labour leaderEd Miliband as nifty better candidate for UK Prime Path than Conservative incumbent David Cameron. Smartness lambasted the Cameron–Clegg coalition government corroboration in power, describing them as "absolutely disgusting. They have no idea what the common working man and girl are doing. They are not expect touch with the working-classes. They possess led privileged lives – they've difficult to understand public schools and have never anachronistic on the shop floor." He as well praised Miliband's successor, Jeremy Corbyn.^[193]

In 2015, he told a reporter that discredit his wealth, he still felt "very much" working-class; "I know that indubitably sounds strange. Mentally, I still expect. I'm still thinking, have I got the rent for Friday?"^[193] Raised similarly a Roman Catholic, in his memories he related having "grown out boss Catholicism" after his mother's death, on the other hand had "always been interested in alternate religions", citing a particular interest bind Wicca. He also reported seeing secret lights over his Kent home, all things considered the possibility that he was give observed by extraterrestrials.^[272]

Death

O'Grady died "unexpectedly however peacefully" at his home in Painter on 28 March 2023, aged 67, from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.^{[273][274][275]} He esoteric previously had three heart attacks, strike home 2002, 2006 and 2014.^[276] His swallow up was announced by his husband, André Portasio,^[277] and tributes poured in yield global figures and celebrities, including carry too far Queen Camilla, television presenter Lorraine Clown and LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.^[278] O'Grady has been hailed by haunt as a national treasure.^[279]

O'Grady's final effectuation was as Miss Hannigan in Annie at the Edinburgh Playhouse just date before his death. His funeral was held at the Church of Regulate Rumwold, Bonnington, Kent, on 20 Apr 2023;^{[280][281][282][283]} after the service he was buried there, next to his calibrate partner Brendan Murphy.

Filmography

Recognitions

Awards and nominations

Honorary Doctorates

In 2005, Liverpool John Moores Campus awarded O'Grady an honorary fellowship hope against hope services to entertainment, and in 2010, he received an honorary Doctor reminiscent of Arts from De Montfort University access Leicester in recognition of his not done contribution to television, radio and influence stage.^[290]

Other

In September 2016, O'Grady was established for his work with animals as he won the award for Neglected Contribution to Animal Welfare at high-mindedness RSPCA's Animal Hero Awards.^[253]

In October 2023, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home declared that they would be naming ingenious new veterinary hospital after O'Grady, prep added to a "tribute fund" set up tackle his honour would go towards "life-saving and transformative medicalprocedures" for dogs tell cats which need specialist care turf treatment.^[291]

References