Paul O’Grady’s final wish came true as he was buried last week next to his ex-partner who died in tragic circumstances back in 2005.
It comes after last month’s heartbreaking news that O’Grady had died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ at the age of sixty-seven.
In a statement on March 28, O’Grady’s husband Andre Portasio confirmed his tragic passing.
“It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening,” he wrote.
“He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
“I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.”
It was previously reported that the star had been suffering from illness during his final year at Radio 2, as well as that he had suffered 2 heart attacks.
Per The Mirror, O’Grady’s death certificate has confirmed that he died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia. The British Heart Foundation describes this as a person dying suddenly following a cardiac arrest where no obvious cause can be found.
He was laid to rest on April 20 next to his manager and former partner Brendan Murphy, who died back in 2005. Murphy had been a huge part of O’Grady’s life before he passed away tragically following an inoperable brain tumour.
O’Grady told The Mirror at the time: “I’d lost my best mate, someone who’d been in my life for twenty-five years and saw me through the days when I was lucky to earn £50 for standing on a beer crate in the corner of a pub telling jokes. Murph and I were like brothers – joined at the hip, thick as thieves.
“It transcended any sexual relationship we’d had. This was a partnership. A double act, Emma Peel and Steed, Laurel and Hardy. We were both forty-nine, barely able to believe what we’d achieved – I’d just won a BAFTA for the Paul O’Grady Show – and then suddenly bang, he’s gone.”
O’Grady first rose to fame during the 1990s with his drag act and alter ego, the iconic Lily Savage. As Savage, he presented many well-known TV shows including Blankety Blank and The Big Breakfast. Savage was so well-loved that she even got her own show, Lily Live!, in 2000.
Later on in his life, he became a mainstay of early evening TV with his The Paul O’Grady Show which ran for a whopping fifteen seasons throughout the 2000s.
He then went on to star in Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs, set at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home which has been a fan favourite since it first hit screens in 2012.
The animal shelter paid tribute to the star, with their chief executive Peter Laurie saying, per LADBible: “Battersea will forever remember Paul as a devoted animal lover with the biggest heart, who fell head over heels in love with every dog he met at our centres.
“Paul will always be associated with Battersea and we are truly saddened to have lost such a true friend and huge part of our charity.”
Following O’Grady’s passing, over £270,000 in donations has been raised for the animal charity in his honour.
Fans have been sharing their own tributes to the star all over social media.
“I loved Paul O’Grady and I loved Lily Savage. He was in the trenches fighting for our community during the HIV & AIDS epidemic. Lily Savage was a genius & subversive creation that managed to reach mainstream audiences – the impact of which was transformative. RIP & thank you,” one person wrote.
Another said: “Saw Paul O’Grady way back in the day as Lily – always had a smile, a friendly word and a hug for me over the years that followed. Absolute gutted he’s gone. RIP x.”
While a third wrote: “A genuine icon, a trailblazer in so many ways. Paul O’Grady was someone that brought so much joy, his wit and craft as Lily Savage was just genius. Not just a brilliant entertainer but someone who thought for the rights for queer people and those living with HIV.”
Rest in peace, Paul O’Grady.
