Paul O'Grady

Acting

Paul O'Grady

Born 1955-06-14 · Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK

Paul James O'Grady, MBE DL (14 June 1955 - 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio disc jockey. He achieved fame using his comedic drag queen character, "Lily Savage", and later became well known for presenting TV programmes as himself, such as The Paul O'Grady Show. Born to a working-class Irish family in Birkenhead, he attended Blessed Edward Campion Secondary Modern School, in Claughton Village, Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). O'Grady moved to London in the late-1970s, there working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council. It was here in 1978 that he developed his drag act, basing the character of Lily Savage upon traits found amongst female relatives. Touring northern England as part of drag mime duo, the Playgirls, he eventually went solo as a stand-up comedian. Performing as Savage for eight years at a South London gay pub, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained a popular following among the city's gay community and used his character to speak out for LGBT rights. After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award, he attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. As Savage, he presented morning chat show The Big Breakfast (1995–96), game show Blankety Blank (1997–2002) and comedy series Lily Live! (2000–01), earning various awards and becoming a well known public figure. Seeking to diversify his career away from Savage, O'Grady starred in BBC sitcom Eyes Down (2003–04) and presented two travel documentaries for ITV. In 2004, he began presenting ITV's daytime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, which proved a hit with audiences. After the network refused to transfer creative control of the series to O'Grady's production company, Olga TV, in 2006 he defected to rival Channel 4, where the show was rebranded as The New Paul O'Grady Show and ran until 2009. O'Grady subsequently presented a late night ITV show, Paul O'Grady Live (2010–11) as well as Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (which ran from 2012 until his death in 2023) and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans (2014–2016), while presenting BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless and publishing a four-volume autobiography. O'Grady received a variety of awards, among them honorary degrees and an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment. He died on 28th March 2023 aged 67.

Acting credits

In the Name of the Father poster
7.9

A small-time Belfast thief, Gerry Conlon, is wrongly convicted of an IRA bombing in London, along with his father and friends, and spends 15 years in prison fighting to prove his innocence.

In the Name of the Father

1993

The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years poster
NR

This one-hour special documentary celebrates 25 star-studded years of the National Television Awards, with contributions from stars including Graham Norton and Simon Cowell.

The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years

2020

Filth! poster
NR

In the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty International “Secret Policeman’s Ball series”) to raise both awareness and raw cash for HIV/AIDS charities. The series was called Hysteria to reflect the hysteria (and downright untruths) surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS. The last one of these had been in 1989, so in 1994, Pozzitive set out to revive the idea of a fundraiser with “Filth!” a night of comedy and music at the Sadlers Wells theatre, on Sunday 24 April. In fact, so many comedians and writers said “yes” to the idea, that we hit on the notion of doing two shows in one evening back to back. The first show was hosted by Lynn Ferguson and Arthur Smith, the second show by Mark Lamarr. Artists involved in the show included Tom Robinson, Steve Coogan, Spitting Image, Eddie Izzard, Jo Brand, Jeremy Hardy and Ben Elton.

Filth!

1994

Our Cilla poster
6.5

Tribute to entertainer Cilla Black.

Our Cilla

2015

Maisie poster
1.0

After 50 years in the business, Mr. David Raven still performs as 'Maisie Trollette', Britain's Oldest Drag Artiste. But as his 85th birthday approaches, we see the challenges this brings, and when he meets fellow Drag Queen, Darcelle XV from America, Guinness World Record Holder at 87, professional rivalries flare between our feisty Pantomime Dame and the regal Pageant Queen.

Maisie

2022

An Evening with Lily Savage poster
10.0

Enjoy the outrageous and flamboyant First Lady of British Comedy, Lily Savage, as she performs her incredibly hysterical live show before a star-studded audience.

An Evening with Lily Savage

1996

Stanley Baxter: Now and Then poster
NR

Comedy legend Stanley Baxter returns from retirement and returns to the Christmas schedules with a trawl through the very best of his classic sketches and routines, his memories of making the shows, plus some brand new material, including his contemporary take on the Queen's Christmas Message to the Commonwealth.

Stanley Baxter: Now and Then

2008

The London Studios: Home of the Stars poster
NR

The end of an era as the studios where ITV filmed its many shows for 45 years closes its doors for the last time.

The London Studios: Home of the Stars

2018

The Paul O'Grady Story poster
8.3

A razor-witted entertainer who found fame as two people - first his drag queen alter ego, Lily Savage, and then as himself. This documentary film charts the unique career of a working class Merseysider whose life away from the spotlight has often been far more dramatic than the consistently successful career he has enjoyed on stage and screen.

The Paul O'Grady Story

2017

Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness poster
NR

A star-studded documentary revealing the private man behind one of Britain’s greatest comic geniuses, using home movies and extracts from notebooks that he wanted to be burnt after his death.

Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness

2025

The Life and Death of Lily Savage poster
7.0

Intimate documentary exploring how Paul O'Grady's creation, Lily Savage, took mainstream TV by storm. Unravel the real story of Lily with insights from Paul's daughter and famous pals.

The Life and Death of Lily Savage

2024

No artwork available
6.5

Shot live at the one off Comic Aid benefit gig at London’s Carling Apollo – which sold out in just three and a half minutes of tickets being put on sale – the DVD features the entire uncut show for all those unfortunate enough to have missed out on tickets. The 3 hour show sees Jonathan Ross, Jack Dee, Graham Norton, Julian Clary, and Lily Savage host a stellar comic line-up that includes; Lee Evans, Dawn French, Jimmy Carr, Ardal O’Hanlon, Johnny Vegas, Bill Bailey, Bo’ Selecta! star The Bear, Jo Brand, Jon Culshaw, Omid Djalili, Otis Lee Crenshaw, Eddie Izzard, The League Of Gentlemen with Miranda Richardson, Alistair McGowan, Dylan Moran, Dave Spikey, Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson. Psychological illusionist Derren Brown and international percussion sensation Stomp also present their own unique blend of stage entertainment.

Comic Aid

2005

The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show poster
NR

A specially created compilation of unused material from her incredibly successful 1998 BBC series

The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show

1997

No artwork available
10.0

Along the kilometre stretch of Kilburn High road in London, there are twenty-eight pubs: that's one every thirty-six metres. Populated predominantly by the Irish, this area has come to be known as County Kilburn. Here we witness the loves, lives and laughs of a disparate group of dreamers, losers and ever-hopefuls.

County Kilburn

2000

Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent poster
9.0

Multi award-winning TV personality Paul O'Grady stars as Lily Savage, the Scouse bombshell who catapulted him to superstardom. From her Lambeth Council flat to top billing on television and on the West End stage, this stand-up special spans Lily's career from her 1959 Miss Pears triumph to numerous shop-lifting convictions and finally her international sex-kitten status.

Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent

1993

Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous poster
8.0

From her Lambeth council flat to top billing on television and the West End stage comes the Scouse bombshell who's shaken British comedy to it's foundations; Lily Savage is live, loud and very, very funny.

Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous

1995

Our Cilla: The One and Only poster
NR

Doumentary telling the story of Cilla Black, who rose from working-class roots in Liverpool to become one of the nation's most successful and best-loved singers, presenters and all-round entertainers.

Our Cilla: The One and Only

2021

The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved poster
NR

Produced over four years with full access from Ken’s widow Lady Dodd, the film takes an in-depth look into Doddy’s private world, exploring the many secrets of his comic talent, revealing never-before-seen home-videos, stage performances and extracts from some of the thousands of Ken’s diary notebooks which he’d asked his wife to burn after his death. Wrestling with her conscience for quite some time, Lady Dodd, finally agrees with entertainment historians, museum curators and many of Ken’s admirers like Stephen K Amos, Harry Hill, Shaparak Khorsandi, Lee Mack, Paul O’Grady, Johnny Vegas, and Sir Ian McKellen to preserve Doddy’s notebooks for posterity. These stars explore their passion and memories of Ken in this candid, insightful film which takes you backstage behind the red curtain to reveal a far more intriguing man than the public or even his wife ever realised.

The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

2024

For the Love of Paul O'Grady poster
8.0

ITV pays tribute to the iconic and much-loved entertainer Paul O'Grady in this special celebratory film, featuring highlights from his incredible career and interviews with those who knew him best. Celebratory documentary broadcast following the death of the comedian and presenter. Features Paul O'Grady

For the Love of Paul O'Grady

2023

Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales poster
NR

Paul O'Grady travels to Germany into the world of his fairy tale heroes, the Brothers Grimm, exploring its landscapes, picture book castles and chocolate-box villages.

Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales

2016

Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire poster
8.0

This made-for-TV film, was Lily Savage's first foray into the world of video. Although the working-class, Birkenhead born tart-with-a-heart had already appeared on television briefly (on Jonathan Ross' chat show, and the news footage of the 'Poll Tax Riots', if we can believe her!), Lily, alas Paul O'Grady in drag, hadn't yet hit the mainstream of things, and was still largely confined to the clubs, so this venue was one of their first big engagements.

Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire

1991

Fairest of Them All poster
3.3

Animated short set in the dressing room of several drag artists.

Fairest of Them All

1994

Lily Savage: The Live Show poster
NR

Lily Savage performs her first live tour in four years, captured here at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. Lily pulls no punches in an act designed to demonstrate that, despite her mainstream television breakthrough with 'Blankety Blank', she is still as outrageous as ever.

Lily Savage: The Live Show

1998

Behind the camera