English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ and host, also credited as “Lily Savage” and “Paul Savage.”
As his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, he presented the television shows The Big Breakfast (1995–1996), Blankety Blank (1997–2002), and Lily Live! (2000–2001), earning various awards and becoming a well known public figure.
Ditching the Lily persona he subsequently became well known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O’Grady Show (2004-2005) and The New Paul O’Grady Show (2006-2009), the late night ITV show Paul O’Grady Live (2010–2011) and BBC Radio 2’s Paul O’Grady on the Wireless (2009–2022).
His additional TV shows included Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs (2012–2023), Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans (2014–2016), Blind Date (2017–2019), and Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape (2020). He published several books, including a four-volume memoir.
O’Grady was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment.
In his youth O’Grady frequented the gay scene but casual sex with a woman led to the birth of his daughter, Sharon Lee Jansen, in May 1974. O’Grady agreed to pay towards her upkeep, but refused to marry her mother, having recognised his homosexuality.
His long-term lover and business partner was Brendan Frank Murphy (4 March 1956 – 9 June 2005).
In 2006 he started a relationship with André Portasio, a ballet dancer. In August 2017, O’Grady married Portasio in a ceremony at London’s Goring Hotel, although the pair continued to live separately.
Paul O’Grady died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on 28 March 2023, aged 67.
Link to Wikipedia biography