Trivia

Before becoming famous, he was a social worker in a children's home, with a unit of 11 differently-abled kids. He was then employed as a peripatetic care worker for Camden council social services. This often involved living-in respite care to support families in sometimes squalid conditions, usually as a means to avoid the children being taken away. He later wryly confessed to operating under his own interpretation of the guidelines, as each situation unfolded.

His long term lover and business partner of 20 years was TV producer Brendan Murphy, who died of cancer on June 12, 2005. After the first show of series three of the "Paul O'Grady Show", there was a tribute to him.

On 29th September he adopted a new puppy live on air after much nagging from the studio audience. O'Grady was hosting a segment on homeless animals when he began to fall in love with the dog, named Scottie. He announced that the new puppy would be renamed Bullseye on the following show.

On 19th November 2009 he had to put his beloved dog, Buster, to sleep after it was found he was suffering from cancer. He announced Buster's death live on air on 23rd November and had to leave the stage during a tribute to Buster as he was too upset to watch.

He was a major supporter of the Labour Party and an LGBT rights activist. He joined a public protest in the UK against Russia's introduction of a law under Vladimir Putin which prevented the promotion of homosexuality to children.

He was close to fellow Liverpudlian Cilla Black and inherited her role as presenter of Blind Date (1985) following her death.

His favourite television series was The Avengers (1961); he once claimed to have broken a leg falling from a window pretending to be an Avenger in his late 20s.

He suffered near-fatal heart attacks in 2002 and 2006.

Having played Lily Savage in the stage musical version of the show in the mid-1990s, was sent the entire run of Australian drama series Prisoner (1979) on VHS cassettes after a fan left it to him in her will.

Although gay, he had a daughter Sharyn (born 16 May 1974) from a relationship with a colleague, Diane Jansen. He later married a Portuguese woman, Teresa Fernandes, to prevent her being deported.

His only child Sharyn Jansen married her childhood friend Philip Moseley at Liverpool Town Hall on July 30, 2005.

He became a grandfather for the first time when his daughter, Sharyn, gave birth to her first child - a baby boy - with husband Philip on 26th December 2006. The baby weighed 7lbs and 14ozs and was named Abel Moseley.

He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to entertainment.

At age 11, discovered Barbra Streisand over the hospital radio while convalescing after a tonsillectomy operation. Ever since has counted her as one of his all-time favorite recording artists.

He has three small dogs, named Buster, Olga and Louie, the former two being regulars on his show. He got Olga in 2004 as she was one of many puppies who appeared on the show in an appeal to be re-homed. O'Grady decided he himself would keep her.

He often claims that he learned to play the organ at the fictitious "Birkenhead School of Music" during a segment of his TV show where he (pretends) to play a Hammond Organ, and contestants must guess the tunes he "plays".

He was offered a cameo part of a TV Producer in Doctors by Christopher Timothy.

On 22 July 2005, he was given an honorary fellowship to Liverpool John Moores University.

In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 32, up from 33.

He owns a tapestry that was made and given to him by Wendy Richard.

He is a close family friend of Natalie Cassidy, whom he refers to as his "niece".

He is an accomplished pianist and organist.

In March 2005, he was presenting a new series of "The Paul O'Grady Show" which started on 14th March 2005 and is running for 16 weeks.

He was offered a guest part in Emmerdale Farm (1972).

He has a small farm.

Became close friends with Cilla Black after bonding with her on an episode of Parkinson.

He suffered a third heart attack in 2014.

He underwent further heart surgery in November 2013 after suffering a severe attack of angina.

Paul was in an episode of the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs in which he talked about the first heart attack that he experienced.

Was a lifelong fan of Popeye the Sailor Man.

His mother's maiden name was Savage.