A new ITV documentary will honour the beginnings of the late Paul O'Grady's career, with tributes paid to his alter-ego Lily Savage. The
comedy star and broadcaster, who died last March aged 67, touched the hearts of millions during his career, leaving a legacy of laughter and putting animal welfare in the spotlight, particularly during more recent years, fronting ITV's For The Love Of Dogs, which was set at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and ran for 11 series. , who died on March 28 from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia at home in Kent, where he lived with his husband Andre Portasio, is also remembered for bringing LGBT+ culture into the mainstream, because at the root of his rise to household fame was Lily Savage. A year on from his death, is honouring that remarkable journey in a documentary called The Life And Death Of Lily Savage. While
UK culture and media may have come a long way in recent years, Lily started life at a time when LGBT+ rights were practically non-existent and homophobia was rife. The loud self-professed "blonde bombsite" with an acid tongue began as a cabaret act in underground gay bars in the 1970s, but went on to become a mainstream TV star as a presenter on The Big Breakfast in the mid-1990s, before landing a Saturday night slot on BBC1 hosting comedy celebrity gameshow Blankety Blank. The Life And Death Of Lily Savage, a 90-minute special, features interviews with close relatives, including O'Grady's sister Sheila Rudd and, for the first time, his daughter Sharon Mousley (from a brief relationship with a work colleague, Diane Jansen, while in their late teens). A host of famous
Friends also take part, sharing memories and reflections from O'Grady's life and career. Among these are fellow LGBT+ stars including acting legend Sir Ian McKellen, comedian Julian Clary and TV presenter Graham Norton, who all recall O'Grady's kindness and humour, as well as everything he did for the gay community.