The farewell program that Paul O’Grady hosted and broadcast on ITV last night caused a great number of people to shed tears.
Founder of Lily Savage and well-known drag performer O’Grady passed away in March at the age of 67 from cardiac arrhythmia.
Paul O’Grady recently completed the documentary Great Elephant Adventure, which centered on elephant conservation in Thailand and Laos.
Viewers’ reactions to the first installment of the two-part series on ITV on Sunday night, March 31, were mixed.
“I didn’t think I would be crying over a Paul O’Grady program about elephants called #PogElephants, but here we are,” a viewer tweeted.
“What fun television!” Another said, “What incredible animals, and what a loss Paul O’Grady is.”
Someone commented, “Watching Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure.” “What amazing animals, and what a wonderful person!”
O’Grady’s spouse, Andre Portasio, revealed details last week, a year after her passing.
Continuing, he said that O’Grady, on his “most ordinary” dying day, “had come back from touring, so was a little bit tired and woke up really late.”.
“Looking very smart in a white shirt,” as Portasio put it, O’Grady was before meeting with veteran radio producer Malcolm Prince. “I recall telling him how attractive he was, and he laughed, saying, ‘F*** off!'”
“He went to get some tea, and I heard this big bang, but at first I didn’t think of anything because the house is big and old,” explained Portasio. “I noticed him nodding off on the floor as I was removing materials from the refrigerator to begin cooking. My initial thought was bewilderment.
As soon as Portasio noticed O’Grady had head injuries, he dialed 911. He said, “I contacted the paramedics, and they advised me to perform CPR as the greatest opportunity to keep him alive.” I was worn out at the end, but I’m not sure how long it took for the ambulance to arrive.”
After their first meeting in 2006, O’Grady and Portasio tied the knot in 2017.
Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure airs on ITVX.
Share this content: