Our worlds were rocked this week when we learned that Paul O’Grady, the beloved TV presenter and comedian who broke onto the scene with his drag act persona Lily Savage, had died on Tuesday 28 March. He was 67.

In a statement, Andre Portasio confirmed that his husband had died “unexpectedly but peacefully”, adding: “He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.

“I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.”

Portasio added: “We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.”

Social media has since been flooded with tributes to O’Grady, with many taking the time to celebrate not just the LGBTQ+ activist’s Bafta-winning TV career, but also his love of animals (he won the RSPCA Animal Hero award for his “outstanding contribution to animal welfare”) and his refusal to stay silent over the neglect of care workers, austerity and the Tory party.

“We should take to the streets, we should be vocal in our fight against oppression, we should let them know that we are not taking these draconian cuts lightly,” he once said on his live TV show.

“We should fight for the rights of the elderly, of the poor, of the sick.”

It seems only fitting, then, that ITV has confirmed that they will be honouring the late and great O’Grady in a special show this weekend.

Simply describing For The Love Of Paul O’Grady as a “tribute to Paul”, the episode will air at 8pm on Sunday 2 April and looks set to make for emotional viewing.

It has also been confirmed that the 11th series of Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs will premiere on the channel, as planned, on Thursday 13 April – a move which it’s all too easy to imagine O’Grady approving of.

Indeed, during the first series of the popular show (which aired back in September 2012), he said that his role as a Battersea ambassador was “hand on heart… one of the nicest jobs I’ve ever had” and praised the home as “a magical place”.

O’Grady is survived by his husband, his daughter, Sharon, and two grandchildren. 

His legacy lives on.

Images: ITV/Getty