Paul O'Grady
Birthday: Born in 1955-06-14 in Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK
Deathday: 2023-03-28
Paul James O'Grady, MBE DL (14 June 1955 - 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio disc jockey. He achieved fame using his comedic drag queen character, "Lily Savage", and later became well known for presenting TV programmes as himself, such as The Paul O'Grady Show. Born to a working-class Irish family in Birkenhead, he attended Blessed Edward Campion Secondary Modern School, in Claughton Village, Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). O'Grady moved to London in the late-1970s, there working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council. It was here in 1978 that he developed his drag act, basing the character of Lily Savage upon traits found amongst female relatives. Touring northern England as part of drag mime duo, the Playgirls, he eventually went solo as a stand-up comedian. Performing as Savage for eight years at a South London gay pub, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained a popular following among the city's gay community and used his character to speak out for LGBT rights. After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award, he attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. As Savage, he presented morning chat show The Big Breakfast (1995–96), game show Blankety Blank (1997–2002) and comedy series Lily Live! (2000–01), earning various awards and becoming a well known public figure. Seeking to diversify his career away from Savage, O'Grady starred in BBC sitcom Eyes Down (2003–04) 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 (2010–11) as well as Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (which ran from 2012 until his death in 2023) and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans (2014–2016), while presenting BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless and publishing a four-volume autobiography. O'Grady received a variety of awards, among them honorary degrees and an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment. He died on 28th March 2023 aged 67.
TV Credits
This Morning
Character: Self
This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and competitions....
Harry Hill's TV Burp
Character: Self - Special Guest
The big-collared comic gives his own spin on TV clips from recent programmes, plus contributions from a set of regular characters...
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Character: Self
Jonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band....
The Bill
Character:
The daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the streets of London. From bomb threats to armed robbery and drug raids to the routine demands of policing this ground-breaking series focuses as much on crime as it does on the personal lives of its characters....
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Character: Self
A gameshow hosted by Ant and Dec filled with stunts, sketches, and special guest appearances....
Eyes Down
Character: Ray Temple
Eyes Down is a comedy starring Paul O'Grady as Ray Temple, the manager of a bingo hall in Liverpool, England called The Rio, although the series was filmed in Rayners Lane in London. Although it had moderate ratings, the programme only lasted for two series until it was cancelled by the BBC in 2004. The show was written by Angela Clarke and directed by Christine Gernon....
The Paul O'Grady Show
Character: Self - Host
The Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4, where the show was produced by Olga TV. The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions....
Good Morning Britain
Character: Self
The latest news, sport, and weather from the UK in this daily breakfast show....
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
Character:
Revolving around the life of Vivienne Vyle, a daytime TV presenter/agony aunt in the mold of Trisha, the show focuses on not only the problems of her guests but the problems Vivienne faces herself in regards to her love and home life....
Blankety Blank
Character: Lily Savage - Presenter
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 Jan...
Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong
Character: Self
Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong was an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in between rounds on the scores is provided by Leslie Phillips. From Series 2, the announcer is Peter Dickson. Season was released onto DVD in 2008. Due to the success of Alan Carr: Chatty Man it has been announced that the show would not return for a third series....
Celebrity Mastermind
Character:
Celebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is a spin-off of the long-running quiz show Mastermind, with the exception that all the contestants are celebrities. As with the main show, John Humphrys is the host and question-master. Magnus Magnusson was quizmaster on the 2003/04 episodes featuring Jonathan Meades as winner....
Chimera
Character: Donaldson
A journalist investigates the death of his girlfriend at a fertility clinic where she worked and uncovers a plot to create a new breed of human based on crossing the genetics of man and ape....
The Ant & Dec Show
Character:
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly present an entertainment variety show with music, comedy and audience participation....
Kate Garraway's Life Stories
Character: Self
Celebrities open up to Kate Garraway in intimate and moving interviews....
The Lily Savage Show
Character: Lily Savage
...
Doctor Who
Character: Paul O'Grady
The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a living—more of a hobby actually, and the Doctor's very, very good at it....
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Character: David
Jean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when he suddenly dies and leaves her nearly penniless, Jean relocates to their one remaining asset - a cottage in French antiques hub Saint Victoire - and begins investigating Rory's mysterious death....
Playhouse Presents
Character:
Playhouse Presents is a series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky Arts 1. Each episode is written by a different writer and stars a different cast. The four-part adaptation of A Country Doctor's Notebook was also broadcast on the strand in December 2012. Sky Arts have announced that they are ordering a five-part spin-off of the third play, Nixon’s The One. They say the full cast, including Harry Shearer as Nixon ...
The Graham Norton Show
Character: Self
Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out....
An Audience with...
Character: Self
An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style....
Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans
Character: Self
Paul O'Grady visits Zambia and South Africa on the trail of young animals which have been orphaned in the wild, either through the actions of poachers or through farming forcing them out of their natural habitats....
The Big Breakfast
Character: Lilly Savage (On the Bed Interviewer)
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof. The programme was distinctive for broadcasting live from former lockkeepers' cottages commonly referred to as "The Big Breakfast House", or more simpl...
Parkinson
Character:
Michael Parkinson's third and final Interview show, running from 2002...
The New Statesman
Character: Marlene Dietrich
The New Statesman is a British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time....
Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure
Character: Self
Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure is a two-part series following Paul as he travels through Thailand and Laos to celebrate the wonderful work done by elephant conservation centres to rescue, rehabilitate and protect these most majestic, but vulnerable, of animals. Filmed in the months before his sudden and unexpected death, this was Paul’s final TV project and one that he was incredibly passionate about....
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India
Character: Self - Host
Paul O'Grady travels to India to follow the work of a rescue charity caring for dogs in need....
For the Love of Dogs
Character: Self - Host
Alison Hammond carries on Paul O'Grady's incredible legacy, following the ups & downs of life at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home....
Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape
Character: Self - Presenter
In this brand new six-part ITV series, presenter Paul O’Grady shares the beautiful sights, stories and secrets of his beloved adopted home county, Kent. With foreign holidays off the cards, Paul’s heading off in search of thrills, spills and misadventure on his very own doorstep, from his Kent farm. He will escape across all corners of the county to discover the weird, wonderful, extraordinary and unusual gems that Kent has to offer. From exploring some of the county’s extraordinary scenery and ...
Parkinson
Character: Lily Savage
Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show....
Parkinson
Character: Self
Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show....
Top of the Pops
Character: Lilly Savage (Host)
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show....
The British Soap Awards
Character: Self - Presenter
The British Soap Awards are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV....
Viva Cabaret
Character: Self
Viva Cabaret is a late night comedy variety television show that aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 14 April 1993 to 24 June 1994. The series was filmed in a sound stage in West London, with the set designed to resemble a cabaret club. The programme's house band included drummer Ray Weston (of Wishbone Ash) and members of Pink Floyd's touring band. The first episode, which debuted on 14 April 1993, was hosted by Tom Jones. Subsequent hosts included Julian Clary, Mark Lamarr, Mike Mc...
Movie Credits
An Evening with Lily Savage
Character: Self
Enjoy the outrageous and flamboyant First Lady of British Comedy, Lily Savage, as she performs her incredibly hysterical live show before a star-studded audience....
For the Love of Paul O'Grady
Character: Self (archive footage)
ITV pays tribute to the iconic and much-loved entertainer Paul O'Grady in this special celebratory film, featuring highlights from his incredible career and interviews with those who knew him best. Celebratory documentary broadcast following the death of the comedian and presenter. Features Paul O'Grady...
Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent
Character: Lily Savage/Kitty Kelly
Multi award-winning TV personality Paul O'Grady stars as Lily Savage, the Scouse bombshell who catapulted him to superstardom. From her Lambeth Council flat to top billing on television and on the West End stage, this stand-up special spans Lily's career from her 1959 Miss Pears triumph to numerous shop-lifting convictions and finally her international sex-kitten status....
Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous
Character: Lily Savage
From her Lambeth council flat to top billing on television and the West End stage comes the Scouse bombshell who's shaken British comedy to it's foundations; Lily Savage is live, loud and very, very funny....
Maisie
Character: Self
After 50 years in the business, Mr. David Raven still performs as 'Maisie Trollette', Britain's Oldest Drag Artiste. But as his 85th birthday approaches, we see the challenges this brings, and when he meets fellow Drag Queen, Darcelle XV from America, Guinness World Record Holder at 87, professional rivalries flare between our feisty Pantomime Dame and the regal Pageant Queen....
Filth!
Character: Lily Savage
In the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty International “Secret Policeman’s Ball series”) to raise both awareness and raw cash for HIV/AIDS charities. The series was called Hysteria to reflect the hysteria (and downright untruths) surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS. The last one of these had been in 1989, so in 1994, Pozzitive set out to revive the idea of a fundraiser with “Filth!” a night of comedy and music at the Sadlers Wells theatre, on Sunda...
Our Cilla: The One and Only
Character: Self
Doumentary telling the story of Cilla Black, who rose from working-class roots in Liverpool to become one of the nation's most successful and best-loved singers, presenters and all-round entertainers....
In the Name of the Father
Character: Prisoner
A small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub that kills several people while he is in London. He and his four friends are coerced by British police into confessing their guilt. Gerry's father and other relatives in London are also implicated in the crime. He spends fifteen years in prison with his father trying to prove his innocence....
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Character: Self (archive footage)
Intimate documentary exploring how Paul O'Grady's creation, Lily Savage, took mainstream TV by storm. Unravel the real story of Lily with insights from Paul's daughter and famous pals....
Our Cilla
Character: Self
Tribute to entertainer Cilla Black....
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
Character:
Produced over four years with full access from Ken’s widow Lady Dodd, the film takes an in-depth look into Doddy’s private world, exploring the many secrets of his comic talent, revealing never-before-seen home-videos, stage performances and extracts from some of the thousands of Ken’s diary notebooks which he’d asked his wife to burn after his death. Wrestling with her conscience for quite some time, Lady Dodd, finally agrees with entertainment historians, museum curators and many of Ken’s admi...
Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire
Character: Lily Savage
This made-for-TV film, was Lily Savage's first foray into the world of video. Although the working-class, Birkenhead born tart-with-a-heart had already appeared on television briefly (on Jonathan Ross' chat show, and the news footage of the 'Poll Tax Riots', if we can believe her!), Lily, alas Paul O'Grady in drag, hadn't yet hit the mainstream of things, and was still largely confined to the clubs, so this venue was one of their first big engagements....
The Paul O'Grady Story
Character: Self - Lily Savage (archive footage)
A razor-witted entertainer who found fame as two people - first his drag queen alter ego, Lily Savage, and then as himself. This documentary film charts the unique career of a working class Merseysider whose life away from the spotlight has often been far more dramatic than the consistently successful career he has enjoyed on stage and screen....
The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years
Character: Self
This one-hour special documentary celebrates 25 star-studded years of the National Television Awards, with contributions from stars including Graham Norton and Simon Cowell....
The London Studios: Home of the Stars
Character: Self
The end of an era as the studios where ITV filmed its many shows for 45 years closes its doors for the last time....
Fairest of Them All
Character: Lily Savage (voice)
Animated short set in the dressing room of several drag artists....
Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales
Character: Self - Presenter
Paul O'Grady travels to Germany into the world of his fairy tale heroes, the Brothers Grimm, exploring its landscapes, picture book castles and chocolate-box villages....