Paul O’Grady’s supporters who watched the documentary The Life and Death of Lily Savage, which explores the life of the comedian’s drag character, were moved to tears.
The ITV special detailed the development and career of O’Grady – who passed away last March at 67 – through his well-known character creation, a working class Liverpudlian single mother with a sharp tongue and foul mouth.
However, viewers struggled to hold back their tears when they listened to previously recorded audio of the beloved star discussing his life and about Savage, as well as numerous clips of some of her most memorable performances on stage and on TV, creating the impression that he was ‘narrating’ the program.
O’Grady started performing as Lily Savage in the 1970s while working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council in north London, before beginning an eight-year period at London’s iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern – and later a television career that included The Big Breakfast, Lily Live! and This Morning.
He also hosted Blankety Blank in character as Savage from 1997 to 2002, before retiring her in 2004.
‘It's a bit emotional hearing Paul’s voice again as he discusses himself and Lily Savage in this documentary,’ tweeted Susan Seddon on X during the documentary’s broadcast.
‘Watching the Paul O’Grady/Lily Savage program. A bit odd that Paul is narrating much of it,’ thought @headsashed55, before adding: ‘Admired Paul O’Grady.’
‘Actually, maybe if Paul was still alive, I’d want him as Lily Savage narrating my life, including spontaneous comments from him,’ posted user @tisiphone6023.
Others also shared their emotional responses, with Ryan Love saying: ‘The Lily Savage documentary on ITV was absolutely lovely. Laughed and cried throughout.
‘All our lives are a little darker without both Paul and the one and only Savage.’
‘Paul O’Grady’s passing was such a tragedy, I can’t emphasize that enough. #lilysavage,’ added @Sam_5516, while Matt Ainsworth shared: ‘The Life and Death of #LilySavage on #itv1 – a wonderful tribute and fascinating biography, clearly so lovingly made by everyone involved.’
Celebrity contributors to The Life and Death of Lily Savage, discussing their experiences with her, included Graham Norton, Alan Carr, Julian Clary and Sir Ian McKellen.
O’Grady’s daughter Sharyn Mousley also shared her own memories of growing up with a famous father, including one particularly memorable birthday.
‘I was about seven and it was my birthday party. And my dad said, “I’ve got a great surprise for you”,‘ Sharyn, 49, explains.
He drinks the liquid and then starts performing fire tricks in my mum's small apartment, leaving burn marks on the ceiling while the girls scream because there's a fire.
She confessed: 'I was embarrassed when he thought it was awesome and started performing these tricks blowing fire. I was seven years old, I wanted a clown!'
After retiring his character Savage, O'Grady continued to appear as himself, hosting his own radio show for BBC Radio 2, and the beloved Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs, as well as multiple versions of the afternoon talk show The Paul O'Grady Show between 2004 and 2015.
He passed away 'unexpectedly but peacefully' in March 2023 at the age of 67, with husband Andre Portasio by his side.
The coroner's report concluded that O'Grady's death was connected to sudden cardiac arrhythmia syndrome (SADS) – which occurs when someone dies suddenly from cardiac arrest, but the cause cannot be identified.
Portasio recently shared some deeply emotional details about O'Grady's final moments, including their dog Arfur's reaction.
The documentary 'The Life and Death of Lily Savage' is available for viewing on ITVX.
