Paul O'Grady: The Biography

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They wed in an intimate wedding ceremony in London that was reportedly attended by actor Ian McKellen and comedian Julian Clary.

Paul O’Grady’s funeral recently took place in Bonnington, Kent, with mourners lining the streets in nearby Aldington – his adopted home of more than 20 years – to pay their respects. Born in Birkenhead in 1955, O’Grady moved to London in his 20s and worked as a social worker for Camden council. He has worked with many other dance companies including Sadlers Wells Theatre and the Royal Ballet School since retiring, as well as being the CEO, producer and director of Artstreaming TV, a digital production company focused on the cultural sector. O’Grady was formerly married to Portuguese model Teresa Fernandes – but he admitted that it was a ‘marriage of convenience’, and they were not in an active relationship.

In his 2012 biography Still Standing, O’Grady said that his relationship with Portasio “just crept up on us”. In August last year, O’Grady presented his final BBC Radio 2 show, having hosted the Sunday afternoon programme for nearly 14 years. During the first series of For the Love of Dogs, O’Grady took home Eddie, a Chihuahua Jack Russell-cross puppy. Paul was also granddad to Sharon’s two children, son Abel, who was born in 2006, and daughter Halo, born in 2009. After his death, friend Christopher Biggins said that the “gorgeous” ballet dancer had a huge impact on “rogue” Paul.

He thanked the community in local Facebook groups and said their “kind messages, beautiful flowers and thoughtful texts of condolences have brought me comfort and solace during this difficult time”. 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,” Portasio said in a statement. The piece is due to air during the open ceremony on BBC One at 8pm, and will also feature Paul Hollywood, Vitalii Mykolenko, Ricky Tomlinson, and more.Sharon was born in 1974 and had a close relationship with her dad, who even gave her away at her wedding to husband Philip Moseley. Prior to his relationship with Portasio, O’Grady was in a long-term relationship with his business partner Brendan Murphy, who died of cancer in 2005. He began dating O’Grady in 2006, but the idea of marriage only came to him after a chat with Julian Clary. Paul O’Grady, the beloved TV presenter and comedian who broke on to the scene with his drag act persona Lily Savage, has died at the age of 67.