Paul O'Grady
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.
In the Name of the Father
as PrisonerA small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub...
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The Paul O'Grady Story
as Self - Lily Savage (archive footage)A razor-witted entertainer who found fame as two people - first his drag queen alter ego, Lily...
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Filth!
as Lily SavageIn the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty...
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The London Studios: Home of the Stars
as SelfThe end of an era as the studios where ITV filmed its many shows for 45 years closes its doors...
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An Evening with Lily Savage
as SelfEnjoy the outrageous and flamboyant First Lady of British Comedy, Lily Savage, as she performs...
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The Life and Death of Lily Savage
as Self (archive footage)Intimate documentary exploring how Paul O'Grady's creation, Lily Savage, took mainstream TV by...
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The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
as uncreditedProduced over four years with full access from Ken’s widow Lady Dodd, the film takes an in-depth...
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Our Cilla: The One and Only
as SelfDoumentary telling the story of Cilla Black, who rose from working-class roots in Liverpool to...
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Maisie
as SelfAfter 50 years in the business, Mr. David Raven still performs as 'Maisie Trollette', Britain's...
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Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent
as Lily Savage/Kitty KellyMulti award-winning TV personality Paul O'Grady stars as Lily Savage, the Scouse bombshell who...
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Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales
as Self - PresenterPaul O'Grady travels to Germany into the world of his fairy tale heroes, the Brothers Grimm,...
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Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous
as Lily SavageFrom her Lambeth council flat to top billing on television and the West End stage comes the...
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Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire
as Lily SavageThis made-for-TV film, was Lily Savage's first foray into the world of video. Although the...
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The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years
as SelfThis one-hour special documentary celebrates 25 star-studded years of the National Television...
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For the Love of Paul O'Grady
as Self (archive footage)ITV pays tribute to the iconic and much-loved entertainer Paul O'Grady in this special...
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Fairest of Them All
as Lily Savage (voice)Animated short set in the dressing room of several drag artists.
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Doctor Who
as Paul O'GradyThe Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who...
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The Graham Norton Show
as SelfEach week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on...
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Top of the Pops
as Lilly Savage (Host)The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s...
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This Morning
as SelfThis Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle,...
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An Audience with...
as SelfAn Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend...
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Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
as SelfA gameshow hosted by Ant and Dec filled with stunts, sketches, and special guest appearances.
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The Bill
as uncreditedThe daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the...
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Blankety Blank
as Lily Savage - PresenterBlankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show...
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The New Statesman
as Marlene DietrichThe New Statesman is a British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the...
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Celebrity Mastermind
as uncreditedCelebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is...
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The Paul O'Grady Show
as Self - HostThe Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul...
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Harry Hill's TV Burp
as Self - Special GuestThe big-collared comic gives his own spin on TV clips from recent programmes, plus contributions...
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The Big Breakfast
as Lilly Savage (On the Bed Interviewer)The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C...
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Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
as SelfJonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from...
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Kate Garraway's Life Stories
as SelfCelebrities open up to Kate Garraway in intimate and moving interviews.
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Parkinson
as Lily SavageMichael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.
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Parkinson
as SelfMichael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.
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Playhouse Presents
as uncreditedPlayhouse Presents is a series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts....
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The Madame Blanc Mysteries
as DavidJean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when...
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Good Morning Britain
as SelfThe latest news, sport, and weather from the UK in this daily breakfast show.
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Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong
as SelfAlan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong was an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr....
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The British Soap Awards
as Self - PresenterThe British Soap Awards are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the...
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The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
as uncreditedRevolving around the life of Vivienne Vyle, a daytime TV presenter/agony aunt in the mold of...
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Chimera
as DonaldsonA journalist investigates the death of his girlfriend at a fertility clinic where she worked and...
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Parkinson
as uncreditedMichael Parkinson's third and final Interview show, running from 2002
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Eyes Down
as Ray TempleEyes Down is a comedy starring Paul O'Grady as Ray Temple, the manager of a bingo hall in...
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The Ant & Dec Show
as uncreditedAnt McPartlin and Declan Donnelly present an entertainment variety show with music, comedy and...
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For the Love of Dogs
as Self - HostAlison Hammond carries on Paul O'Grady's incredible legacy, following the ups & downs of life at...
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Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans
as SelfPaul O'Grady visits Zambia and South Africa on the trail of young animals which have been...
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Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape
as Self - PresenterIn this brand new six-part ITV series, presenter Paul O’Grady shares the beautiful sights,...
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Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India
as Self - HostPaul O'Grady travels to India to follow the work of a rescue charity caring for dogs in need.
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Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure
as SelfPaul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure is a two-part series following Paul as he travels...
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Viva Cabaret
as SelfViva Cabaret is a late night comedy variety television show that aired on Channel 4 in the...
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