March 29th 2024.
The documentary, "The Life and Death of Lily Savage", captured the journey of Paul O'Grady's famous drag persona. Fans of O'Grady were moved to tears as they watched the ITV special on Friday night. The program chronicled the creation and career of O'Grady, who sadly passed away last March at the age of 67. Through the use of previously recorded audio and archive footage, it felt as though O'Grady himself was narrating the documentary.
O'Grady first began performing as Lily Savage in the 1970s while working as a care officer for Camden Council in London. His act quickly gained popularity and he eventually landed a residency at the iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern. This led to a successful television career, with appearances on shows such as The Big Breakfast, Lily Live!, and This Morning. He even hosted Blankety Blank as Savage for five years before retiring the character in 2004.
Viewers took to social media to share their emotional reactions to the documentary. Some praised the program for its portrayal of O'Grady and Savage, while others expressed their sadness over the loss of such a talented performer. Famous friends and fellow celebrities, such as Graham Norton, Alan Carr, Julian Clary, and Sir Ian McKellen, also shared their memories of Savage for the documentary.
One of the most touching contributions came from O'Grady's daughter, Sharyn Mousley. She shared her own memories of growing up with a famous father, including a particularly memorable birthday party where O'Grady entertained with fire-eating. Sharyn admitted that she was mortified by the spectacle, wishing for a clown instead.
After retiring Lily Savage, O'Grady continued to entertain audiences as himself. He hosted his own radio show and a popular TV program, "For the Love of Dogs". Sadly, O'Grady passed away unexpectedly in March 2023 at the age of 67. His husband, Andre Portasio, was by his side at the time. The coroner's report determined that O'Grady's death was linked to sudden cardiac arrhythmia syndrome.
Recently, Portasio shared some heartbreaking details about O'Grady's final moments, including the reaction of their dog, Arfur. The documentary, "The Life and Death of Lily Savage", is available to watch on ITVX. If you have a celebrity story to share, you can reach the entertainment team by email, phone, or through the Submit Stuff page.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]