ITV Amends Schedule Paying Tribute To Paul O’Grady

77

ITV has made some amendments to its schedule tonight and over the next few weeks, to pay tribute to Paul O’Grady, who sadly passed away on Tuesday, aged 67.

This evening (29th March 2023) at 5pm, ITV will repeat ‘Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs: A Royal Special’ on ITV1, replacing an episode of ‘The Chase’. The special originally aired in December 2022 as a celebration of 160 years of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, for which O’Grady was an ambassador, and featured Camilla, the Queen Consort, who was a long-time supporter.

Following the announcement by his husband, Andre Portasio, of Paul’s death “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening, Camilla released a statement saying she was “deeply saddened to have learned of the death of Paul O’Grady, with whom she worked closely to support the work of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and whose warm heart and infectious humour lit up the lives of so many.”

On Sunday, 9th April 2023 at 8pm ITV1 will broadcast ‘For the Love of Paul O’Grady’, a tribute programme to Paul. ‘We are fortunate to have had a long association with Paul, at ITV,” commented ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo. “He was a huge, inimitable talent, delighting our viewers through his comedy and entertainment with a warmth, humour and joy that audiences of all generations related to and connected with. He had a profound passion for animals too, which resonated with so many viewers, and For The Love of Dogs remains one of our best-loved series, and a really special programme for so many. All those who worked with Paul are shocked and deeply saddened at his passing and the thoughts of everyone at ITV are with Paul’s loved ones.”

On Thursday 13th April 2023 at 8pm, ‘Paul O’Grady: For the Love Dogs’, Season 11 will premiere as planned. The multi-award-winning series features Paul, a Battersea Ambassador, meet some of the many dogs looking for help, love and new homes.

Paul began working as a social worker protecting children, before becoming a huge star under his drag queen alter-ego Lily Savage. He then reinvented himself again as a beloved prime-time host and radio presenter, hosting shows such as ‘Blankety Blank’, ‘Blind Date’, and his Radio 2 weekend show. His love of animals let him to become an ambassador for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, which in turn led to the creation of the hit ITV series ‘Paul O’Grady: For the Love Dogs’. Outside of presenting, Paul was a huge campaigner for LGBT+ equality and animal rights.

Tributes have been pouring in from across the entertainment industry for Paul, who will be very sadly missed. They say “all good dogs go to heaven”, so I’m sure Paul will be in really good company.