Paul James O'Grady, MBE DL was a renowned English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer, and radio disc jockey. He rose to fame through his iconic drag queen character, Lily Savage, and later became well-known for presenting various TV programs as himself.
Born on June 14, 1955, to a working-class Irish family in Birkenhead, O'Grady attended Blessed Edward Campion Secondary Modern School in Claughton Village, Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). He moved to London in the late 1970s, where he worked as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council.
It was during this time that O'Grady developed his drag act, basing the character of Lily Savage on traits found among his female relatives. He began touring northern England as part of the drag mime duo, the Playgirls, before eventually going solo as a stand-up comedian.
As Savage, O'Grady gained a popular following among the city's gay community and used his character to speak out for LGBT rights. He performed at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in South London for eight years, earning various awards and becoming a well-known public figure.
After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award, O'Grady attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. He presented morning chat shows, game shows, and comedy series, earning numerous awards and accolades.
Seeking to diversify his career away from Savage, O'Grady starred in BBC sitcom Eyes Down and presented two travel documentaries for ITV. In 2004, he began presenting ITV's daytime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, which proved a hit with audiences.
After the network refused to transfer creative control of the series to O'Grady's production company, Olga TV, in 2006 he defected to rival Channel 4, where the show was rebranded as The New Paul O'Grady Show and ran until 2009. O'Grady subsequently presented a late-night ITV show, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans.
He also presented BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless and published a four-volume autobiography. O'Grady received a variety of awards, including honorary degrees and an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment.
Throughout his career, O'Grady was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. He died on March 28, 2023, at the age of 67, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, inspiration, and joy.
