Paul O'Grady passes away 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at 67

TV presenter and comedian Paul O’Grady has died at the age of 67, his partner Andre Portasio has confirmed. The TV star, fondly known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, passed away “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening, a statement shared with the PA news agency via a representative said.

Mr Portasio said in his statement: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening. We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.

“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.”

Read more: Manchester has been snubbed for a new Michelin star once again - but should we even care? - Ben Arnold

He was renowned for hosting The Paul O'Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV's For The Love Of Dogs, which won multiple awards. His celebrity game show, Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line Up was also a favourite.

O'Grady took over as host of Blind Date following the death of long-running presenter and close friend Cilla Black, who passed in 2015, when the show was rebooted in 2017 on Channel 5. Last year, to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, for which he was an ambassador, O'Grady was joined by the Queen Consort for a one-off special episode of For The Love of Dogs.

After spending nearly 14 years as he established himself as a stalwart of the air waves, in August 2022 he presented his last BBC Radio 2 Show on the Sunday afternoon programme.

For more stories from where you