Featured Image Credit: Insta / andre_portasio
Topics: Paul O'Grady, Celebrity News, TV, Dogs
James Moorhouse
Topics: Paul O'Grady, Celebrity News, TV, Dogs
It's been two years to the day since we lost beloved comedian and presenter Paul O'Grady, with the 67-year-old passing away peacefully at his home on 28 March, 2023.
And now, O'Grady's widowed husband Andre Portasio has shared a 'bittersweet' video which was reportedly taken just 20 minutes before he died, as he admitted the star was 'smoking a spliff' when he passed away in his chair.
O'Grady first gained acclaim in the London gay scene in the 1980s for his drag persona Lily Savage, before launching his popular Paul O'Grady Show on British TV in 2004. He was well-known for his love of dogs and was even an ambassador for the Battersea Dogs and Cats charity.
Heartbreakingly, he can be seen alongside two of his five dogs in the final video which was shared by Portasio on Instagram, as he discussed his 2021 book - Eddie Albert and the Amazing Animal Gang.
The post, which was shared onto O'Grady's Instagram, said: “In this bittersweet moment, you see him as the genuinely kind man he was, expressing heartfelt gratitude to everyone for supporting his book, which he recorded for an award ceremony he couldn’t attend.
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"It’s incredible how our minds can shield us from the pain of loss in moments of shock," he penned.
When O'Grady first passed away, his husband shared this message with the presenter's fans: "It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.
"He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
"I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years."
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It was reported at the time that the Birkenhead-born star's cause of death was sudden cardiac arrhythmia, a condition where the heart's electrical system malfunctions.
In a later interview with The Sun, the Brazilian former professional ballet dancer confirmed that Paul spent his final moments 'smoking a spliff'.
He said: “We’d had a very ordinary day, just watching TV together at home, when Paul said he wanted to make a ‘cup of tea,’ and that was our little code for rolling a spliff.
“So Paul went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, brought it back, lit it and started smoking it – and that was our last time together, the last thing we did. He passed away there in his chair."