Paul O’Grady’s final radio special to be broadcast this Easter

You do not have to look far into O’Grady’s career to see exactly why he deserved to be celebrated for his contributions to the arts, community campaigning and fundraising.

After several decades in the limelight, O’Grady passed away peacefully on the 28 March 2023, aged 67. He was best known by one generation as Lily Savage, the hilariously foul-mouthed drag queen, and by another generation as the well-loved host of daytime television. Before he passed, O’Grady was also the face of Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs. The three-time National Television Award-winning programme took viewers behind the scenes of Battersea Dogs and Cats shelter and showcased O’Grady’s passion for animals.

Fans of O’Grady will be thrilled to hear that his last radio show will be broadcasted on Easter Sunday, in tribute to the comedian, drag queen and television host. The show was last aired on Boom Radio, on 25 December 2022, and will be played again by Boom Radio on Easter Sunday at 2pm.

O’Grady first made waves in the 80s and 90s as his drag alter ego, Lily Savage. The blonde bombshell had audiences in hysterics with her expletive-laden anecdotes and outlandish personality. In a Guardian article, Suzy Eddie Izzard noted how Savage’s combination of drag and stand-up was unusual at the time, but the “mouthy housewife and sex worker” earned nationwide devoted fans from her performances.

Savage’s shows also made great strides for the LGBTQ+ community. According to Izzard, “I think seeing what he did helped LGBT people out there, either in their personal lives or perhaps as performers, being able to be more honest about their sexuality onstage.” At the height of her career, Savage headlined Stonewall’s Equality Show at the London Palladium. The charity fundraiser was coined the “biggest ever gay variety show” at the time, according to former executive director of Stonewall, Angela Mason.

Without the wig and high heels, O’Grady continued to entertain a nation of fans on The Paul O’Grady Show. The programme featured celebrity guests, musical performances and the real stars of the show, O’Grady’s dogs, Buster and Olga. For households across the nation, The Paul O’Grady Show was a staple of their teatime entertainment.

Recently, O’Grady became best known for his love of animals. In recognition of his tireless campaigning, he was awarded the RSPCA Animal Hero Award and was named a patron of the Orangutan Appeal UK. Following his death, the Battersea Dogs and Cats home set up a tribute fund in O’Grady’s name, which to date has received over £200,000 in donations. O’Grady was a dedicated ambassador for the shelter, who described him as a “devoted animal lover with the biggest heart.”

Continuing his community work, O’Grady was also an ambassador for Save the Children. His long-standing campaigning spanned human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, animal rights and multiple children’s charities. Human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, described O’Grady, who was a patron for the Peter Tatchell Foundation, as “a much-admired campaigner for LGBT+ equality and animal rights.”

In 2010, O’Grady visited Leicester to receive a Doctorate of Arts from De Montfort University. In the wake of his passing, alumni, staff and students alike came together to remember the experience, which O’Grady talked about on his Channel 4 show.

When he learned of the honorary doctorate, the BAFTA award-winning personality said that he was “absolutely chuffed to bits and flattered.” He also questioned what he did to deserve the appointment. The DMU speaker then recounted O’Grady’s many achievements and concluded with, “hopefully Paul can now appreciate, as much as we do, why he is such a worthy recipient of this honorary degree.”

Paul O’Grady’s final radio show can be found on Boom Radio, Sunday 9 April 2023, at 2pm.