The beloved entertainer Paul O’Grady has died aged 67, after five decades on stage and screen.
He shot to fame as the acid-tongued drag queen Lily Savage, going on to win millions of fans and a host of awards as a comedian, game show host, chat show compere, radio DJ, animal rights champion and bestselling author.
Here we take a look at the life and times of the unforgettable O’Grady.
O’Grady found nationwide fame in his drag queen persona Lily Savage, first performing under that name in the 1970s (Tony Harris/PA)
O’Grady was close friends with the late singer and TV presenter Cilla Black (Myung Jung Kim/PA)
Performing under his own name, O’Grady’s success arguably reached new heights with the daytime chat shows, The Paul O’Grady Show and The New Paul O’Grady Show – and a galaxy of awards followed (Ian West/PA)
O’Grady was a doughty fighter for the rights of animals, particularly dogs. Here, the Battersea Ambassador takes a rescue dog for a walk alongside the then-Duchess of Cornwall (Stuart Wilson/PA)
Cutting a cake to mark Stonewall’s 10th birthday with, from left, Julian Clary, Angela Mason and Sir Elton John in 1999 (PA)
O’Grady, in character as Miss Hannigan from the musical Annie, who also found time in a long career to write several best-selling books, leaves a partner, Andre Portasio, and a daughter, Sharyn Mousley (Ben Curtis/PA)
