Paul O’Grady’s full name is Paul James O’Grady. He was an English Comedian, writer, actor, broadcaster and drag queen. He was born on 14 June 1995 in Tranmere, Cheshire, England, and died on 28 March 2023 at the age of 67.
He accomplished striking quality in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his crossdresser persona Lily Savage, through which he acquired more extensive fame during the 1990s.
In 2008 He was appointed O’Grady was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) Birthday Honors for services to entertainment.
He replaced Roy Hudd as president of the British Music Hall Society in 2020 and O’Grady was a deputy lieutenant for the county of Kent.
Paul O’Grady, a lower-class Irish immigrant from Tranmere, Cheshire, moved to London in the late 1970s and began working as an assistant care officer for Camden Council.
He developed his drag show in 1978, basing the traits of Lily Savage on the traits of his female ancestor. O’Grady began the 1980s as a stand-up comedian while on tour in England with the drag mime duo The Playgirls.
He established a devoted following among London’s LGBT population by portraying Savage for 8 years at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), a gay bar in South London.
He exploited his persona to advocate for gay rights, so some believe he is gay. Was Paul O’Grady Gay? Let’s know more about this topic.
Was Paul O’Grady Gay?
Yes, Paul O’Grady Was Gay, And He Was Married Twice In His Lifetime.
Since 2017, Andre and Portasio Paul, who have been married, first met at London gay bar Showplace and became close friends.
Andre once performed as a member of the English National Ballet in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
In London’s Goring Hotel, where they exchanged vows in a lavish ceremony, guests gathered on a private lawn for a champagne and canapé reception attended by celebrities including Julian Clary and Ian McKellen.
Even though they were in love, they always lived apart; Nonetheless, during the COVID-19 lockdown, they stuck together to make ends meet.
Paul,O’Grady on the other hand, preferred to sleep alone, so they both had private bathrooms and bedrooms. Before marrying Andre, Paul met a Portuguese model in a gay bar.
Since Paul was gay and Teresa Fernandes was a lesbian, they agreed to marry as a matter of convenience to save Teresa from being deported in 1977.
In 2005 After 28 years of marriage, they eventually obtained a legal divorce, but Paul admitted he was never romantically involved with her.
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What Happened Before the Death of Paul O’Grady?
Paul O’Grady, a TV host and comedian passed away at the age of 67. Partners announced the actor’s ‘peaceful but unexpected’ passing and pulled up artist Lily Savage, who was the face of Blind Date and Blankety Blank.
In a statement, his partner Andre Portasio confirmed that O’Grady passed away “peacefully but unexpectedly” on Tuesday night.
O’Grady recently completed her run as Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie and was set to rejoin for performances in the UK and Ireland later this year.
LGBTQ+ rights advocate Peter Tatchell described O’Grady as “one of the sweetest people you could ever meet.”
Everyone whose lives he touched and those who loved his wit and admired his kindness will greatly miss him.
O’Grady, born in 1955 in Birkenhead, moved to London at age of 20s and worked as a social worker for Camden Council.
In gay bars by 1978, he was honing his drag persona Lily Savage, a loud-mouthed single mother and sporadic sex worker based on female relatives.
Two grandchildren, his husband Andre, his daughter Sharon and O’Grady live in this world.