TV and radio presenter Paul O'Grady has sadly passed away at the age of 67. His husband, Andre Portasio, said he died "unexpectedly but peacefully" on Tuesday evening.
"It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening," Portasio said. "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."
O'Grady shot to fame as drag queen Lilly Savage in the 1980s and 90s, going on to present a range of hit shows including Blankety-Blank.
"Paul wasn’t just a brilliant comedian and broadcast personality but a much admired campaigner for LGBT+ equality and animal rights," said gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, of which O'Grady was a patron. "Paul was one of the loveliest people you could ever meet. Everyone whose lives he touched will miss him greatly, as will those who enjoyed his wit and admired his compassion."
"They've been the most important person, I think, in British culture for drag, for the queer community," said Danny Beard, winner of the fourth series of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK, in an appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning. "I didn’t know what a drag queen was until I saw Paul on television."
"I don't think there's anyone who does the job that I do that doesn't class Paul as an icon."
"Paul was a trailblazer," Beard added. "This is a really sad loss today."
Elsewhere, one of O'Grady's long-standing producers, Malcolm Prince, said: "I'm devastated. Yesterday afternoon, I popped round to Paul's for a good old catch-up. Surrounded by his beloved dogs, he was laughing, smiling, and full of life."
Prince went on, "And now he's gone. I can't believe it. We have lost a unique talent - and I've lost a dear friend. We were all lucky to have Paul in our lives."
Our thoughts are with O'Grady's loved ones at this difficult time.
Jade Biggs (she/her) is Cosmopolitan UK's Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. She also works on first-person features and investigative long-reads, taking a deep-dive into mental health, celebrity culture and women's rights. Jade has been a journalist and content writer for ten years, and has interviewed leading researchers and doctors, high-profile influencers and fitness experts. She is a cat mum to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter.
