The death of Paul O’Grady has saddened the nation, who will miss his kindness, warmth and razor-sharp humour.
I count myself firmly among his fans – and there are millions of us.
As someone who first interviewed Paul in 2002, I can confirm that the person you saw on TV was exactly the same as the man I met off-screen.
As a TV writer, I see celebs come and go.
I’ve met and interviewed hundreds of so-called personalities.
But there was no one else like Paul O’Grady.
Paul O’Grady fans mourn his death
I join the nation in mourning the death of TV favourite Paul O’Grady. Like many others, I heard the tragic news waking up this morning, Wednesday, March 29. Paul was just 67.
After discovering my favourite TV star had died, I remembered that first time I interviewed him – and what an impact it had.
When I had the honour of speaking Paul in 2002, it was like chatting to an old friend. Paul was everything you saw on screen – warm, friendly, kind, interested, and hilariously funny.
Perhaps it goes without saying that many TV personalities are suspicious of the media and try to keep us at arms’ length (even when promoting their new TV show or film). But Paul wasn’t like that; everyone was someone to him.
He even tried to ask me about myself, which is pretty much unheard of in an interview between a journalist and a TV star. But that was Paul, genuinely interested in other people.
Paul was one in a million
Paul was one of the last ‘real’ TV stars. He was genuine to a fault, and wore his heart on his sleeve where others have two faces – one for the camera and one for real life.
You’ve heard the rumours about the primetime TV hosts who aren’t as nice as they seem? It’s all true! But Paul had no airs and graces, was truthful to all, and treated everyone like a friend. The host of Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs even invited me to his next birthday party.
If he could have had his way, he would have had the biggest bash ever. Tragically, though, Paul suffered his first heart attack just days after we talked. In April 2002, he had a heart attack, which doctors attributed to a combination of a congenital family heart problems with stress, heavy smoking, and caffeine.
He had two more, in 2006 and 2014. In an interview with the Daily Mirror in 2006, Paul O’Grady admitted that smoking 40 cigarettes a day had contributed to his then-two heart attacks.
Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs
Beloved TV star Paul came to fame as Lily Savage, and went on to break primetime TV in the likes of Blankety Blank, Blind Date, and his own chat show.
But, more recently, fans fell in love with him on the multi award-winning ITV show Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs.
During the series, which ran for more than 10 years, Paul exuded the warmth and empathy that viewers grew to adore.
Speaking on BBC News today, Peter Laurie, CEO of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, said: “Paul fell in love with every dog he met, and they fell in love with him too.”
Speaking as someone who had interviewed him, this was true of dogs AND humans.
Always trust a man who loves animals as much as Paul did.
RIP Paul O’Grady.
Read more: Paul O’Grady’s final heartbreaking Instagram message which detailed sad family loss
Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs is currently available to watch on ITVX.
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