Paul O'Grady

LONDON — (AP) — Entertainer Paul O'Grady, who achieved fame as drag queen Lily Savage before becoming a much-loved comedian and host on British television, ...

“Paul was one of the loveliest people you could ever meet,” Tatchell said. Camilla, the queen consort, was a guest on the show last year. O’Grady used his platform to speak out about LGBT rights at the height of the AIDS crisis, a time when the Conservative government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was passing anti-gay laws.

U.K. broadcaster ITV has revealed the schedule changes brought about by the death of popular British presenter and comedian Paul O'Grady.

Under the Savage persona, he also went on to host light entertainment shows such as “The Big Breakfast,” “Blankety Blank” and “Lily Live!” He had a profound passion for animals too, which resonated with so many viewers, and ‘For The Love of Dogs’ remains one of our best-loved series, and a really special programme for so many. He was a huge, inimitable talent, delighting our viewers through his comedy and entertainment with a warmth, humor and joy that audiences of all generations related to and connected with.

O'Grady, the TV presenter, actor and comedian known for his scouse drag queen persona Lily Savage and hosting shows including Blankety Blank, died last night ( ...

Both Scott and I are really sad about the news and our thoughts are with his husband André and family. Actor John Barrowman said: “I am totally shocked and sad to hear the awful news that Paul O’Grady has died. From watching him as Lily Savage at the Vauxhall Tavern to sitting with him laughing backstage at West End Bares to being a guest on his @itv Paul O’Grady show numerous times. “I will never forget his generosity, warmth and humour. ITV chat show host Lorraine Kelly wrote on Twitter that he was a “really special man”. John is among a host of celebrities who has remembered the star.

La estrella, también conocida por su alter ego drag queen Lily Savage, murió inesperadamente este martes por la noche, según su marido, Andre Portasio, informó ...

O’Grady también fue presentador del programa de ITV “For The Love Of Dogs”. Sé que él querría que os diera las gracias por todo el amor que le habéis mostrado a lo largo de los años”, continuó. En este difícil momento, les pedimos que, mientras celebran su vida, respeten nuestra intimidad mientras asimilamos esta pérdida”.

British TV presenter, actor and comedian Paul O'Grady passed away "unexpectedly but peacefully" on Tuesday at the age of 67.

O’Grady began developing the beloved Lily Savage character in the 1970s and performed as her in a solo show that ran for eight years at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern. O’Grady later hosted The Lily Savage Show for a short 1997 stint and then hosted a rebooted version of BBC gameshow Blankety Blank in character. He was so proud of Annie, so happy to be back on Boom Radio, and he was looking forward to so many new projects.” Surrounded by his beloved dogs, he was laughing, smiling, and full of life. More recently, he had been on tour playing Miss Hannigan in a touring version of Annie. He was 67.

Comedian, broadcaster and chat-show host who shot to widespread fame in the 1990s as his alter ego Lily Savage.

Last year he made a special one-off episode of For the Love of Dogs to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, for which he was an ambassador. In 2011 he quit Paul O’Grady Live after becoming exasperated with his role as a chat- show host: “I felt part of the PR machine. But O’Grady killed off Savage in 2005, claiming Lily had “seen the light, taken the veil and packed herself off to a convent in France”. A two-part eulogy to the British working class, broadcast in 2013, it prompted press scepticism – not least because O’Grady told viewers he still considered himself working class despite being a millionaire who owned a generous plot of land in Kent. Tatchell said of O’Grady: “Paul wasn’t just a brilliant comedian and broadcast personality but a much admired campaigner for LGBT+ equality and animal rights … “I was born late – what my mother calls the last kick of a dying horse,” he said in his 2009 autobiography At My Mother’s Knee … “They made many arrests but we were a stoic lot and it was business as usual the next night.” In the 70s he worked for Camden council in north London as a peripatetic carer. “So we went out every night and were the talk of the island.” The story was typical of O’Grady, who loved to dramatise his indomitability and had an unquenchable desire to be in the public eye. His defiant unshakeability and desire to perform came together in his first stage persona, the foul-mouthed Lily Savage, who sported a platinum blond beehive wig, vast quantities of makeup, white stilettos, a leopardskin miniskirt and a matching fake-fur coat. “My nose was out to here and I had a black eye, but I said: ‘I’m not ruining my holiday,’” he recalled. She even returned in triumph to her native Merseyside, and became a regular on This Morning with Richard and Judy.

Paul O'Grady, the British comedian, TV star, and actor also known as drag queen Lily Savage, has died at 67.

"Everyone at Annie the Musical is stunned and saddened by the passing of Paul O'Grady," the statement read. The show released a "We love you, Ms. We need it," Willam wrote on Instagram. I tip my wig to you." [RuPaul's Drag Race](https://ew.com/creative-work/rupauls-drag-race/) season 4 queen [Willam](https://ew.com/person/willam/) also paid tribute to O'Grady, remembering the actor in a sweet Instagram post.

Paul O'Grady died "unexpectedly but peacefully" on Tuesday, according to his husband, Andre Portasio. The beloved 'Lily Savage Show' star was 67.

In the 1990s, O’Grady took his talents to television. Once a care worker in Camden Town, O’Grady made his debut as Lily Savage “You went places nobody had gone before and we will miss you very much.” I’m obsessed with them.” [Q&A with the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/nov/27/paul-ogrady-im-not-worried-about-sex-money-or-fame-i-just-want-a-mongoose) published in November 2021, O’Grady talked about the “happiest” moment of his life, his greatest fear (“finding a rat swimming in my toilet’’) and his brushes with death. “It’s all animals.

Fellow drag queens praised the character for helping to pave the way for thousands of artists.

"They've paved the way for legions of drag artists and I wouldn't be here without them." at the time I had no idea who I was and what I wanted to be... "Drag isn't scary and it's been around for a long time and we ain't going anywhere, baby!," they said, adding: "He's an icon and he's an inspiration to so many queer people that want to make it in the entertainment industry." "For Paul to make it mainstream on television just after the Aids crisis and working through it as an entertainer really was a testament to who he was as a person," they said. but she made me feel comfortable for the first time." Describing O'Grady as a "trailblazer", they told BBC News: "He took drag to the mainstream and really set the way for people like me to be able to do our jobs."

A boundary-busting standup, a radio sensation, a knockout on TV, a champion for LGBTQ rights, and a pet-lover extraordinaire … stars and writers pay tribute ...

He was backstage at the Tavern in 1987, preparing for his performance and adjusting his wig, when suddenly the police burst into his dressing room. O’Grady developed the act (“a creature,” he said, “that was more cartoon than human”) in the gay clubs of London’s Camden Town – specifically, the Black Cap. Recently, when we were working on a campaign to get an apology from the police for their past persecution of the LGBTQ+ community, he told me a story that stuck in my mind. So, in his final months, he was preparing to stand up, accuse them of homophobia and demand they finally take responsibility and apologise. And what he landed on often, was fury – at the “criminals” in government. The fact that a lot of people who wrote in seemed to be of advanced years – the requests were often to thank helpful younger family members or carers – said a great deal about the breadth of his appeal. He wrinkled his nose and said: “I’m just the burnt-out wreck of a once glorious disco.” He worried about them when they were poorly and shared the joy when we found them loving homes. I got the feeling that, with his programmes about animals, he had to really push to make them happen. These tales echoed back to the war, with secrets and debts and back-alley shags in the Liverpool of the Blitz. He could just talk about whatever was in his head and get laughs. He stared at me like the scan of a 3D printer.

O'Grady won numerous accolades during his career, including a TV BAFTA, and in 2008 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ...

O'Grady won numerous accolades during his career, including a TV BAFTA, and in 2008 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ...

LONDON — Paul O'Grady, a British comedian and television host who portrayed drag queen Lily Savage during the 1980s and ′90s, died Tuesday. He was 67.

[BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65108130?at_link_origin=BBCBreaking&at_campaign_type=owned&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_ptr_name=twitter&at_link_id=ED41D83E-CDD4-11ED-9BC7-6FBBECABB293&at_link_type=web_link&at_format=link&at_medium=social&at_bbc_team=editorial), O’Grady was the host for several network shows, including the game show “Blankety Blank.” He also used his platform on television to express his love for dogs. I’m obsessed with them.” “It’s all animals. He will be so dearly missed by all of us at Battersea. He used his persona to address the AIDs crisis and LGBTQ rights. We’re deeply saddened to learn that our wonderful, kind friend and beloved Ambassador Paul O’Grady MBE has passed away.

O'Grady was preparing to go on stage in 1987 when a police officer burst into his dressing room.

When the officer asked for a "real" name, he replied: "Lily Veronica Mae Savage." According to one version of events, when the desk sergeant for a name, he gave it as "Lily Savage". this was an ugly, dangerous and very unpleasant time for LGBT+ people." So it seemed to be the fashion at the time," he said. Eleven people were arrested and two customers were injured. It wasn't illegal, and the suggestion it made people more vulnerable to Aids had already been debunked. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. God knows to this day why they raided it." We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. Around that time, newspapers were warning about the use of amyl nitrate, also known as poppers. Tables and chairs were going over. But one pre-fame story shows his role in fighting for LGBT rights.

O'Grady won numerous accolades during his career, including a TV BAFTA, and in 2008 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ...

Since his sudden death, numerous celebrities have shared heartfelt words and tributes dedicated to the TV presenter and radio host. “Appearing on The Paul O' ...