Paul O’Grady shocked audiences by claiming Cilla Black was on cocaine while she was presenting Blind Date.
In what has been described as a chaotic performance while filming for the new series of the dating show, the funnyman apparently made a string of blunders, tripping over his words, forgetting contestants’ names and swearing.
After one-slip up, the quick-witted fella joshed: “How the hell did Cilla do this for 25 years? No wonder she was on cocaine. God bless her, wherever she is.”
READ MORE: John Torode sucks up to Gregg Wallace after saying they aren’t pals
He went on to say: “Her spirit is here you know, peed herself laughing at me and ruining my show — causing all the issues. What can I do now? Oh I think I’ll go and have a line of coke while I wait.”
Paul, who was a close friend to Cilla until the day she died and performed her eulogy at her funeral, also hinted to the audience that family entertainer Cilla had a wild streak to her.
Speaking about that the time he cracked his nose in 2013 after reportedly slipping in Cilla’s tub, he said: “You all thought Cilla was all mumsy, but you’re out of your mind if you think that.
“She bust my nose in a Jacuzzi in Barbados. What a mad woman she was.”
Paul also jokingly told the eager crowd that Cilla had actually left Blind Date in her will for him.
“Why am I doing it?” he quipped. “Oh yeah, that’s right — Cilla left it for me in her will. No seriously, she made me do it.”
READ MORE: Britain’s Got Talent winner denies he has a cocaine habit
Although Cilla was a family favourite whilst presenting the iconic dating show, she had previously admitted to smoking cannabis in the Sixties, but said that when it came to doing harder drugs she was a “good girl”.
“I never did acid,” she said. “I am just so high anyway. I did smoke a joint once, but I didn’t enjoy it.”
The new series of Blind Date is due to hit screens over the next couple of months and will feature northern lass Melanie Sykes as the voice of ‘Graham’!