Paul James O’Grady MBE DL (14 June 1955 – 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, broadcaster, drag queen, actor, and writer. Aside from all that, he was an LGBT+ champion during his days of playing loud-mouthed, heavy smoking drag act Lily Savage.
The Layton Institute in Blackpool was made famous by Paul O’Grady’s Lily Savage when he filmed his Live from the Lilydrome TV show there in 1995. The club has also been graced by the likes of Joe Longthorne, the Nolans and Matt Munro. The image below shows the club as it is today.
Layton Institute Images © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
Paul O’Grady returned to Blackpool several times over the years, both as himself and in the guise of his iconic alter-ego, Lily Savage. His connection to the seaside resort began in 1996 when he played the North Pier’s famous Wurlitzer organ, an appearance that foreshadowed his subsequent performances there during the summer season in 2001. Later that year, O’Grady brought his unique brand of comedy to Blackpool’s Opera House with a special Christmas Cracker show. In October 2022, he returned once again, this time for Word Fest at the Winter Gardens. This event, celebrating the written word and language, featured O’Grady alongside Lenny Henry and Anton Du Beke in a series of “in conversation with” events, where they discussed their new books and their love for writing. O’Grady’s fondness for the town was evident when he famously said, “I like a Blackpool breakfast, me. Twenty ciggies and a pot of tea,” a quote that later found its place on Blackpool’s Comedy Carpet beneath the iconic Tower. Born to a working-class Irish migrant family in Tranmere, Cheshire, O’Grady moved to London in the late 1970s. He initially worked as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council, but it was in the world of drag that he truly found his calling. In 1978, he began developing his drag persona, Lily Savage, drawing inspiration from the strong women in his family. Touring the UK as part of the drag mime duo the Playgirls, O’Grady eventually went solo as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. His performances at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), a South London gay pub, cemented his place in the hearts of London’s LGBTQ+ community, where he used his alter-ego to champion gay rights. After being nominated for a Perrier Award in 1992, O’Grady transitioned from the cabaret scene to mainstream television, hosting shows like The Big Breakfast (1995–1996), Blankety Blank (1997–2002), and Lily Live! (2000–2001), where his blend of humour and boldness won him multiple awards.
Desiring to move beyond the confines of Lily Savage, O’Grady diversified his career, starring in the BBC sitcom Eyes Down (2003–2004) and presenting two travel documentaries for ITV. However, it was in 2004 when O’Grady truly hit his stride, taking over as the host of ITV’s daytime chat show The Paul O’Grady Show. After some creative differences with the network, he moved the show to Channel 4 in 2006, where it was rebranded as The New Paul O’Grady Show, running until 2009. His career continued to flourish with the late-night Paul O’Grady Live (2010–2011), the long-running Paul O’Grady on the Wireless on BBC Radio 2 (2009–2022), and beloved programmes such as Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs (2012–2023), Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans (2014–2016), Blind Date (2017–2019), and Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape (2020). In addition to his television career, O’Grady also authored several books, including a four-volume memoir, which offered fans a deeper glimpse into his life. O’Grady’s contributions to entertainment were recognised when he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. He went on to become president of the British Music Hall Society in 2020, succeeding Roy Hudd. That same year, he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Kent, a role he embraced with pride after having lived in the county for many years.
O’Grady’s career was defined by his warmth, wit, and willingness to challenge societal norms, and his legacy lives on not only in his television work but in his lasting impact on British culture and the LGBTQ+ community.
The Alamy photo below of O’Grady in his Lily Savage persona was taken on 15 November 1994.
The photo below (and in the background) of Paul O’Grady with Cilla Black was taken on 18 May 2014 at the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.
Featured Image © Steve Punter CC BY-SA 2.0
Background Image © Alamy
