British presenter and comic Paul O’Grady has died. He was 67.
O’Grady’s demise was confirmed to the BBC by his companion Andre Portasio, who stated the favored TV host died “unexpectedly however peacefully” on Tuesday night.
O’Grady was identified for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, and had been performing as Miss Hannigan (a job he first performed 25 years in the past) within the touring musical “Annie,” which ran for every week on the Edinburgh Playhouse from March 21 to 25. (The present is scheduled to journey to Southampton in April. )
On his official Instagram web page, O’Grady wrote on March 13 that he was “totally having fun with enjoying Hannigan once more after so lengthy, particularly with a very superb and wonderful solid.”
A mainstay on British tv, he was additionally the host of ITV’s daytime chat present “The Paul O’Grady Show” and Channel 5’s “Blind Date” reboot. A well known animal lover, O’Grady introduced ITV’s “For the Love of Dogs” and was a vocal supporter of the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Portasio stated in a press release: “It is with nice disappointment that I inform you that Paul has handed away unexpectedly however peacefully yesterday night…He will likely be significantly missed by his family members, buddies, household, animals and all those that loved his humour, wit and compassion.
“I do know that he would need me to thanks for all of the love you might have proven him over time,” continued Portasio.
O’Grady was born to a working-class Irish migrant household in Tranmere, Cheshire, in 1955. In the late Nineteen Seventies, he moved to London and labored at varied bars, for the civil service and for social providers. In 1978, he developed his drag alter ego Lily Savage, who was primarily based on O’Grady’s experiences with varied feminine family.
He carried out as Savage all through the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, together with an acclaimed eight-year stint at South London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern, the place O’Grady used the platform to talk out for homosexual rights.
Under the Savage persona, he additionally went on to host gentle leisure reveals similar to “The Big Breakfast,” “Blankety Blank” and “Lily Live!”
O’Grady ultimately started presenting reveals as himself, internet hosting ITV travelogues and “The Paul O’Grady Show.” In 2017, Channel 5 made waves when it introduced its reboot of “Blind Date” with O’Grady — a long-time buddy of authentic host Cilla Black — tapped as host. He fronted the present till it concluded in 2019.
A compassionate animal campaigner, O’Grady additionally hosted “For the Love of Dogs,” which he has led since 2012. The present was set to return for its newest season on ITV in early 2023.
