129-518: Paul James O'Grady MBE DL (14 June 1955 – 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, broadcaster, drag queen , actor, and writer. He achieved notability in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his drag persona Lily Savage , through which he gained wider popularity in the 1990s. O'Grady subsequently dropped the character and in the 2000s became the presenter of various television and radio shows, including The Paul O'Grady Show . Born to
258-569: A 90-minute ITV special celebrating Cilla Black's 50 years in show business. The show was later repeated shortly after Cilla Black's death in August 2015, with O'Grady presenting a short tribute to her to introduce the show. The first series of Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans screened in 2014, with O'Grady travelling to see wildlife in Africa; a second series followed in 2015 and a third in 2016. The first series averaged 3.29 million viewers while
387-535: A BBC Comic Relief show in which he learned to drive, alongside Nadia Sawalha and Jade Goody . One of his tantrums on the shows was nominated for a Best Television Moment of the Year Award. Although turning down most offers to appear in a sitcom, he agreed to play the manager of a Merseyside bingo hall in the BBC series Eyes Down , commenting: "He's an evil, twisted man who hates everything that moves. Not exactly
516-537: A Christmas special of cookery show Ready, Steady, Cook . He went on an eight-week tour as Lily, before starring as Miss Hannigan in a West End revival of the musical Annie . He subsequently accompanied the show's tour of the UK, before appearing in pantomime in Birmingham. The BBC decided to revive the quiz show Blankety Blank , previously hosted by Terry Wogan and Les Dawson . They selected O'Grady to present
645-725: A FMC Meats Merseyside abattoir , he then worked for three years at the Children's Convalescent Home and School in West Kirby , a home for disabled and abused children. Returning to London, he rented a flat in Crouch End and began busking with a friend in Camden Town before obtaining a job as a physiotherapist's assistant at the Royal Northern Hospital . Made redundant by public sector cuts, O'Grady took up
774-490: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
903-600: A Lion Tamer at the Donmar Warehouse . The Playgirls gained bookings to appear across London, and also in Amsterdam and Copenhagen; O'Grady and Hush joined with drag artist David Dale to form an act known as "LSD", which stood for "Lily, Sandra, and Doris". Devising an act that parodied children's television show Andy Pandy , they gained bookings across London and in Edinburgh . In 1984, O'Grady began work as
1032-576: A South London gay pub, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained a popular following among London's gay community and used his character to speak out for gay rights . After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award , O'Grady attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. As Savage, he presented the television shows The Big Breakfast (1995–1996), Blankety Blank (1997–2002), and Lily Live! (2000–2001), earning various awards and becoming
1161-533: A barman at a Vauxhall gay pub, the Elephant and Castle. As Lily, he compered " Ladies Night " each Tuesday, where amateur drag acts would perform. As compere, he tried out comedy routines, becoming known for insulting both the acts and the audience; he attracted growing crowds and he was interviewed by artist Patrick Procktor . After six months, he transferred his act to the nearby Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) gay pub, re-opening his show on Thursday nights as "Stars of
1290-465: A bout of clinical depression, but recovered in time to perform alongside Cilla Black and Barbara Windsor in a burlesque rendition of " You Gotta Get a Gimmick " at the 2001 Royal Variety Performance ; the televised event attracted 11.5 million viewers. In April 2002, O'Grady had a heart attack, which doctors attributed to a combination of a congenital family heart problems with stress, heavy smoking , and caffeine . His recovery meant missing
1419-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
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#17327915429711548-553: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
1677-510: A cameo in Paul O'Grady's Little Cracker , a Christmas short story. He later expressed criticism of the show RuPaul's Drag Race and the contemporary drag performers on it, stating: "It's all about shading and contouring your face now and being like supermodels [...] This new brigade who just parade around going, sashay, shantay—that's not drag to me", lacking the comedic element common to drag queens of his generation. In July 2013, O'Grady narrated
1806-537: A career for himself outside of drag. He appeared as himself in an advert campaign for Double Two shirt-makers, before pitching a six-part travelogue series to ITV, who agreed to part-fund it. The project resulted in Paul O'Grady's Orient , for which he travelled throughout East and Southeast Asia. Although poorly received by the tabloid press, it achieved good ratings, and ITV commissioned a second series, Paul O'Grady's America , in which he visited various U.S. cities. Again it received poor tabloid reviews. O'Grady suffered
1935-485: A challenge for me". Screened in the prime Friday night slot, the show was popular with viewers, if not reviewers, and was renewed for a second series in 2004. The BBC were also planning on reviving The Generation Game ; O'Grady presented two pilot episodes in late 2003 but left the project, unhappy with the result. O'Grady ended 2003 in pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome . I just want the show to be like
2064-453: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
2193-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
2322-806: A clerical assistant for the DHSS at their Liverpool office; he commuted in from his parents' Tranmere home. Supplementing this income, he worked part-time at the bar of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) club in Oxton . Called for a disciplinary hearing at the DHSS and accused of incompetent behaviour and tardiness, he resigned. Obtaining a job at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Virginia Water , Surrey, aged 17, O'Grady moved there;
2451-465: A flat in Saltaire . In 1998, the BBC produced a six-week Sunday series titled The Lily Savage Show , during which he interviewed guests like Elton John , Alan Yentob , and Anthea Turner . O'Grady found the scripted, non-spontaneous nature of the series difficult, and it was not well received. As Lily, O'Grady was invited on to other television chat shows, such as Richard and Judy ; he appeared in
2580-645: A four-volume memoir. O'Grady was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment. In 2020 he became president of the British Music Hall Society , taking over the role from Roy Hudd . On 31 October 2022 he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Kent , where he lived for many years. O'Grady was born on 14 June 1955 at St. Catherine's Hospital in
2709-597: A fully independent school in its own right and run by lay staff members, it was still under the trusteeship of the Christian Brothers and maintained links with the College. The school closed at the end of the Summer term in 2019. Redcourt was originally a Victorian family home built by prominent Scottish banker George Rae between 1876 and 1879 and designed by Edmund Kirby . The Rae family lived there until
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#17327915429712838-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
2967-415: A good time and pensioners just wanting a laugh in the afternoon." On or off camera it is the brilliant anecdotes about his life and the endless stream of trenchant opinions on the world in general that keep Paul's fans coming back for more. Biographer Neil Simpson, 2008 The show's viewing figures exceeded those of Channel 4's daytime chat show, Richard & Judy . Tabloids stoked the rivalry between
3096-655: A grammar school so attended the Blessed Edmund Campion R.C. Secondary Modern and the Corpus Christi High School. It was at the school that O'Grady experienced his first homosexual encounter, enjoying a brief romance with another boy, although he still assumed he was heterosexual. A fan of the popular television series The Avengers and Batman , O'Grady was enrolled in the Cub Scouts by his mother, but he hated it, leaving after
3225-484: A higher salary; Channel 4 offered him a contract for £2 million a year, making him one of Britain's highest-paid television stars. In June 2006, O'Grady suffered a second massive heart attack, undergoing an angioplasty ; he received around 7000 get-well-soon cards and letters from fans. He returned to work for the second series of The New Paul O'Grady Show in September, during which the show's viewing figures hit
3354-462: A job at a gay club called the Showplace, befriending a Portuguese lesbian named Teresa Fernandes. In May 1977, they married to prevent her deportation; they lost contact and only legally divorced in 2005. Taking up jobs as a cleaner and a waiter at private functions, he began working for Camden Council as a peripatetic care officer. Living in with elderly people and dysfunctional families would have
3483-400: A lasting effect on him. I've frequently been asked over the years who Lily Savage was based on and I've always answered that it was no one in particular and she was just a figment of my imagination. The truth, I realise now, is that Lily owes a lot to the women I encountered in my childhood. Characteristics and attitudes were observed and absorbed, Aunty Chris's in particular, and they provided
3612-598: A month. An altar boy at a local Catholic church, he was dismissed after laughing during a funeral service. He then joined the Marine Cadet Section of the Sea Cadet Corps , later commenting that he was following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, the cartoon character Popeye . He enjoyed the cadets, and at the advice of his captain joined the Boys' Amateur Boxing Club, developing a lifelong love of
3741-592: A much wider audience than I'd previously been used to." O'Grady followed this with a show titled Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire ; a sell-out, it was the first time that his performance was recorded. In 1992 he embarked on an Australian tour, performing alongside the Australian comedian Mark Trevorrow , and proceeded to Los Angeles, where he was present for the 1992 riots in that city . O'Grady obtained his breakthrough into television when he played
3870-577: A new peak. To deal with his health issues, he began taking a week off mid-series, where he was replaced by guest presenters. O'Grady subsequently won the Ten Years at the Top award at the TV Quick and TV Choice awards. The tabloids tried to re-ignite the "chat wars" by claiming a rivalry between O'Grady and other daytime television shows such as The Sharon Osbourne Show and The Brian Conley Show . Amid
3999-401: A party, a group of pals gabbing away about the first things that come into their heads. There are always enough things in life to worry and get depressed about. I want my show to take our minds off all that stuff, even if it's only for a while. Paul O'Grady, c. 2004 O'Grady temporarily stood in for Des O'Connor on ITV's lunchtime chat show Today with Des and Mel , enjoying
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4128-492: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
4257-415: A public apology. In June 2005, Murphy died of brain cancer . Prior to Murphy's death, O'Grady had promised him that his production company—now named Olga TV after one of O'Grady's dogs—would take creative control over The Paul O'Grady Show . ITV refused to allow this, and so O'Grady moved the show to Channel 4, where it was renamed The New Paul O'Grady Show . Press accused O'Grady of moving in pursuit of
4386-404: A show for years and that he took to it with an "enthusiasm that surprised everyone except me". Although scheduled to initially film at the centre for six days, he stayed as a volunteer for six months. At the end of the first series, O'Grady was invited to become an ambassador for the centre, and a bronze statue of his late dog, Buster, was erected on a plinth at the centre. He also adopted a dog from
4515-630: A solo act under the name of "Paul Monroe", a reference to Marilyn Monroe . Under financial strain, O'Grady moved back in with his mother in Birkenhead. Amid mass unemployment, O'Grady briefly lived off the dole before resurrecting the Playgirls with his friend Vera; initially performing in Liverpool, where they were caught up in the 1981 Toxteth riots , they began touring other parts of northern England until returning to London. Again working as
4644-585: A success, earning O'Grady nominations for both the Best Comedy Entertainment Personality and Programme at the 2000 British Comedy Awards . With increased earnings—his assets were estimated to total £4 million—in 1999 O'Grady purchased a house in Aldington, Kent from comedian Vic Reeves , decorating it in an art nouveau style and establishing a smallholding . Tired of appearing as Lily, O'Grady decided to try to make
4773-542: A support worker for Camden Council Social Services, O'Grady lived in Vauxhall and then Brixton before reviving the Playgirls with Hush, devising an act based upon the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? At the end of the year, he appeared as an Ugly Sister in a drag pantomime of Cinderella . In March 1983 he joined the Equity union, allowing him to take a role in the theatrical adaptation of If They'd Asked for
4902-690: A third series, but that he had refused, claiming that he had had enough of the chat show format, and that he was fed up with the "interference" from the show's producers. That month, he also performed in Drama at Inish at the Finborough Theatre in Earl's Court . 2012 saw the launch of ITV documentary series Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs , covering life at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in south London. O'Grady commented that he had wanted to do such
5031-681: A three-part factual series for Gold , exploring the life of comedian and presenter Bob Monkhouse . In December 2015, O'Grady appeared in Our Cilla , a one-off programme about the life of Cilla Black . 2016 saw O'Grady present Paul O'Grady: The Sally Army & Me , a documentary series on The Salvation Army for BBC One . That year, he also presented a Channel 4 documentary, Paul O'Grady's 100 Years of Movie Musicals , and another for ITV, Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales . That same evening he appeared on ITV in Hilda Ogden's Last Ta-ra , which
5160-462: A well known public figure. Wishing to diversify from Savage, O'Grady starred in the BBC One sitcom Eyes Down (2003–2004) and presented two travel documentaries for ITV . In 2004, he began presenting ITV's daytime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show . After the network refused to transfer creative control of the series to O'Grady's production company Olga TV , he moved to Channel 4 in 2006, where
5289-504: A working-class Irish migrant family in Tranmere, Cheshire , O'Grady moved to London in the late 1970s, initially working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council . He developed his drag act in 1978, basing the character of Lily Savage upon traits found among female relatives. Touring England as part of drag mime duo the Playgirls, O'Grady then went solo as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. Performing as Savage for eight years at
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5418-516: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
5547-973: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
5676-730: The BBC 2 series Life Swaps , he was also given his own late-night Channel 4 series, Live from the Lilydrome , which was filmed in a working men's club in Blackpool . Given top billing at the gay rights charity Stonewall 's 1994 Equality Show in Albert Hall , he also played the role of Nancy in the London Palladium 's performance of the musical Oliver! . Reflecting his increasing success in mainstream British comedy, in 1994 he
5805-616: The Blackpool Opera House , the latter filmed for broadcast by the BBC . At this juncture, he agreed to appear as Lily in adverts for the Ford Escort , subsequently appearing in ad campaigns for Pretty Polly tights, the soft drink Oasis , and a bingo company. Earnings from these performances allowed him to move out of his Vauxhall council flat and into a house near Tower Bridge in South London . He also purchased
5934-667: The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government "bastards" on his show for mass cuts to social services. He also voiced his support for student protesters who had occupied and vandalised the Conservative Party headquarters. Ofcom received several complaints over the incident. Paul O'Grady Live was picked up for a second series from April to July 2011, and included a special devoted to American pop star Lady Gaga . In October, ITV axed Paul O'Grady Live . O'Grady stated that ITV had asked him to return for
6063-989: The Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross , where he often preceded Vic Reeves ' three-hour show Vic Reeves Big Night Out . Quitting his council work, he focused full-time on his career as Lily, taking his act across the country and abroad. Other venues he performed at included the Madame Jojo's club in Soho , the Bloomsbury Theatre , and the Heaven nightclub. Befriending American drag queen Divine and his manager Bernard Jay, Jay booked O'Grady to appear in Fort Lauderdale , Florida. As Divine had done, O'Grady also recorded his own Hi-NRG song, "Tough at
6192-495: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
6321-573: The Tranmere area of Birkenhead , Cheshire (now Merseyside ). His father, Patrick "Paddy" Grady (1912–1973), was Irish and had grown up in Ballincurry, County Roscommon , before moving to England in 1936 and settling in the working-class area of Birkenhead. His name was changed from "Grady" to "O'Grady" in a paperwork mistake when he joined the Royal Air Force , and he kept the new name. Patrick married Mary "Molly" Savage (1916–1988), who
6450-660: The 1993 film In the Name of the Father ; although not in the Lily character, he was credited as "Paul Savage". In character as Lily, he appeared on an October 1994 episode of BBC series The Steve Wright People Show , had a cameo in the soap Brookside the following month, and presented an episode of BBC music show Top of the Pops . He also appeared as a female pirate in an episode of BBC children's show Pirates . Employed to narrate
6579-473: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
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#17327915429716708-549: The BBC medical drama Holby City . On 31 October 2013, O'Grady recorded a non-broadcast pilot for a BBC One sitcom called Led Astray , starring alongside Cilla Black . The show was not commissioned for a full series due to the pair's busy schedules. In 2013, O'Grady presented two-part BBC documentary series Paul O'Grady's Working Britain , which was nominated for a National Television Award in January 2014. On 16 October 2013, O'Grady presented The One and Only Cilla Black ,
6837-739: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
6966-443: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
7095-535: The Channel 4 morning television program The Big Breakfast , its production company Planet 24 employed O'Grady to replace her. A four-week Lie-in with Lily was commissioned as a trial run. As Lily, O'Grady ignored the suggested questions of PR agents and instead asked personal questions of his guests; having attracted 2 million viewers, Planet 24 renewed his contract to keep him on as presenter. Through contacts made in showbusiness, he befriended many A-list celebrities, among them Elton John and Cher . O'Grady found
7224-401: The Future". In 1985 he obtained his own council flat in Vauxhall's Victoria Mansions. During the mid-1980s, he entered a relationship with Brendan "Murph" Murphy, the manager of a gay sauna near the Oval , Kennington . Murphy subsequently became O'Grady's manager. Eventually appearing at the RVT three times a week, on Sundays O'Grady began performing at the Union Tavern in Camberwell and
7353-453: The Heritage Foundation Awards ceremony, where he was awarded television personality of the year award. Returning to work, he appeared as the Child Catcher in a twelve-week run of the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium , receiving good reviews. He followed this with a Christmas season as the Wicked Queen in the pantomime Snow White at Manchester Opera House . In 2003, O'Grady appeared in Celebrity Driving School ,
7482-503: The ITV documentary Me and My Guide Dog following the work of Guide Dogs. In April 2013, O'Grady presented a documentary about burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee as part of ITV's Perspectives series. That month, he also presented ITV's British Animal Honours award ceremony. In 2013, ITV revived The Paul O'Grady Show . In November, O'Grady suffered an angina attack and underwent further heart surgery. In 2013, O'Grady guest starred as cancer patient Tim Connor in three episodes of
7611-419: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
7740-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
7869-456: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
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#17327915429717998-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
8127-402: The Playgirls, although found little work in London. Agreeing to a tour of northern England, they moved to Slaithwaite , West Yorkshire, also accepting a month's work at a club in Copenhagen , Denmark. Diversifying their act, O'Grady learned fire eating and developed a striptease while wearing a fat suit he named "Biddy". After Hush returned to London, O'Grady continued his drag performance as
8256-668: The RVT, and after the proprietors Pat and Breda McConnor decided to move on, he and Murphy unsuccessfully sought to replace them. O'Grady never compered at the RVT again after the McConnors left. After leaving the RVT, O'Grady continued to tour as Lily and released VHS videos of his performances. Gaining further public exposure through an appearance on the late-night Channel 4 comedy show Viva Cabaret! , he appeared on an episode of BBC quiz show That's Showbusiness . Moving into radio, he began making regular appearances as Lily on Woman's Hour and Loose Ends . Also moving into film, he travelled to Dublin , Ireland to play an inmate in
8385-672: The Top", which was produced by DJ Ian Levine . In 1988, he performed as Madame in The Scythe of Reason , and appeared at the Glasgow Mayfest , where he developed a lifelong friendship with actor Ian McKellen . O'Grady used his act to speak out on issues affecting the gay community, especially during the HIV/AIDS crisis. In April 1988 he took part in a march against Section 28 , a policy introduced by Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government that many denounced as homophobic . Regularly doing charity fundraisers for HIV/AIDS research, many of his friends died from AIDS-related complications; he later related that "People my age will never get over
8514-414: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
8643-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
8772-413: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
8901-426: The character of Dame Edna Everage , was "never called a drag act because he's a heterosexual male. But I'm called one because I'm a gay man. It's homophobic and it's wrong as there is nothing remotely sexual about what I do. I dress up as a woman for financial purposes, nothing else." In April 1996, O'Grady filmed a performance at the LWT Tower as An Evening with Lily Savage , broadcast on ITV in November. A hit, it
9030-522: The character of a transvestite prostitute informant, Roxanne, in three episodes of ITV 's police drama The Bill between 1988 and 1990. Just before filming on the first episode, O'Grady's mother died. In 1990 he appeared in the ITV miniseries Chimera as a social worker; during filming he befriended co-star Liza Tarbuck . He followed this with a performance as a Marlene Dietrich -style cabaret singer in an episode of Rik Mayall 's ITV comedy The New Statesman . He had continued to perform regularly at
9159-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
9288-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
9417-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
9546-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
9675-626: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
9804-453: The early morning starts difficult, particularly as he was also appearing as Lily in a musical version of Prisoner Cell Block H at the Queen's Theatre in London's West End . When the musical then toured the UK, O'Grady took a break from The Big Breakfast to accompany it. He took his new dog, a shih tzu - bichon frisé cross named Buster, with him on tour; O'Grady later commented that "He
9933-670: The feeling of presenting live. ITV executives then offered him his own daytime chat show: The Paul O'Grady Show . There was initial press concern that O'Grady's style of adult humour would not be appropriate for a daytime slot, but ITV's controller of entertainment, Mark Wells, declared that "Paul is one of the funniest people on television – he deserves to be on it far more than he is." The show first aired in October 2004 from 5 pm to 6 pm and saw O'Grady interviewing celebrity guests; it represented "a glorious mix of seemingly unscripted banter, chat and slapstick humour". In producing
10062-530: The first volume of O'Grady's memoirs, At My Mother's Knee ... And Other Low Joints , published by Bantam . The second volume, The Devil Rides Out: The Second Coming , followed in 2010. After budget talks broke down with Channel 4, O'Grady ended The New Paul O'Grady Show . In October 2009, O'Grady agreed to an £8 million deal with ITV to host a Friday prime-time chat-show, Paul O'Grady Live . The first series aired from September to November 2010. In October, O'Grady attracted media attention after calling
10191-462: The following year with Brother H F Malone as the first headmaster and six other Brothers and lay staff members as teachers. In 1991, girls were first admitted and the nursery department was opened. Due to the Education Act 1993, the senior school (College) took the option to join the state sector (it later became a voluntary aided school ) and Redcourt chose to remain private . While it became
10320-529: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
10449-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
10578-499: The heart of the show." The inclusion of his dog, Buster, on the show proved particularly popular with audiences. The show gained a devoted following, with many fans attending the screenings; often, as many as a hundred had to be turned away. Describing those attending the screenings, Simpson noted that "Groups of middle aged women dominate—but they are joined by beautiful twenty-something women with flawless make-up, flash City boys with Louis Vuitton briefcases, hip-looking students out for
10707-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
10836-463: The home; a Jack Russell – Chihuahua cross named Eddy. Through the series he developed a friendship with actor Tom Hardy , who appeared in one episode. In April 2012, O'Grady appeared on The One and Only Des O'Connor , a one-off special for ITV which looked back on the life of Des O'Connor . In October 2012, the third volume of his memoirs, Still Standing: The Savage Years , was released. In 2012, O'Grady also revived his Lily Savage character for
10965-600: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Redcourt St Anselm%27s Redcourt St Anselm's
11094-709: The horrors." He performed in a play about the disease at the King's Head Theatre in Islington , befriending co-star Amanda Mealing . From 1989 to 1992 O'Grady performed annually as Lily at the Edinburgh Fringe , gaining increasing recognition. He was nominated for the 1991 Perrier Award alongside Jack Dee , Eddie Izzard , and (the ultimate winner) Frank Skinner . He later related that "The Edinburgh Festival changed my life. The experience opened doors for me that would otherwise have been firmly closed, exposing me to
11223-644: The income with the occasional night at the Bear's Paw. Realising this wage was insufficient to support both himself and his daughter, he travelled to London, lodging in Westbourne Green , but found only poorly paid work as a barman. In London, he began associating with drag queens , particularly a couple who used the stage name of the Harlequeens. Although making friends in the city, O'Grady was homesick and returned to Birkenhead. Employed as an accountant in
11352-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
11481-704: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
11610-736: The later News International phone hacking scandal , police from Operation Weeting informed him that News of the World reporter Glenn Mulcaire had hacked his mobile phone. He decided not to sue. 2006 also saw the start of his relationship with future-husband André Portasio, a ballet dancer. In 2008, O'Grady had a cameo as himself in the Doctor Who episode " The Stolen Earth ", and appeared in Ghosthunting with Paul O'Grady and Friends , filmed in Palermo , Sicily. 2008 also saw publication of
11739-528: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
11868-516: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
11997-581: The management accused him of stealing, which he denied. Promptly returning to Birkenhead, he increasingly socialised within the Liverpudlian gay scene , attending meetings of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and working at a gay bar called the Bear's Paw; this was kept a secret from his parents, to whom he was not "out of the closet ". He also had casual sex with a female friend, Diane Jansen, who became pregnant, news which O'Grady discovered in
12126-588: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
12255-559: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
12384-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
12513-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
12642-473: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
12771-454: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
12900-620: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
13029-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
13158-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
13287-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
13416-529: The roots and compost for the Lily that would germinate and grow later on. — Paul O'Grady, 2008 While working for Camden Social Services, O'Grady made his first attempt at putting together a drag act, creating the character of Lily Savage; he later said, "I wanted to get up there but be larger than life, a creature that was more cartoon than human." His debut was on the afternoon of 7 October 1978 at The Black Cap gay pub in Camden, where his act involved miming
13545-654: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
13674-482: The same week that both his parents suffered heart attacks; his mother made a recovery, but his father died. Following the birth of his daughter, Sharon Lee Jansen, in May 1974, O'Grady agreed to pay towards her upkeep, but refused to marry Jansen, recognising his homosexuality. Briefly working as an assistant clerk at Liverpool Magistrates' Court , O'Grady subsequently worked as a barman at Yates's Wine Lodge , supplementing
13803-623: The second averaged 2.75 million. In 2014, he appeared in a Gogglebox special for Stand Up to Cancer . In December 2014, O'Grady appeared in ITV's documentary Rita & Me celebrating Barbara Knox 's fifty years as the character Rita Tanner in Coronation Street . In September 2015, O'Grady's fourth book Open the Cage, Murphy!: Further Savage Adventures was released. In 2015, O'Grady presented Bob Monkhouse: The Million Joke Man ,
13932-413: The show as Lily, allowing him to ad lib rather than follow a script. Screened on primetime Saturday night, Blankety Blank proved a ratings winner, attracting an audience of 9 million. ITV then purchased it, offering O'Grady a two-year deal for £1 million. ITV let him be more risque in his use of humour on Blankety Blank , and also commissioned a new comedy series, Lily Live! . This show also proved
14061-528: The show was rebranded as The New Paul O'Grady Show, airing until 2009. O'Grady presented the late night ITV show Paul O'Grady Live (2010–2011) and BBC Radio 2 's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless (2009–2022). Additional television shows included Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (2012–2023), Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans (2014–2016), Blind Date (2017–2019), and Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape (2020). He also published several books, including
14190-531: The show, O'Grady worked with many old friends, including warm-up man Andy Collins . The series was a hit, attaining between 2.5 and 2.7 million viewers daily. According to O'Grady biographer Neil Simpson, the series was "a riotous, endearingly kitsch romp with no pretensions to be anything other than pure entertainment. In some ways it was pure vaudeville[...] There were novelty acts, talking dogs, whistling goldfish, extraordinary stories. His audience laughed like drains at his anecdotes and were brought right into
14319-590: The shows, calling it the "Chat Wars". O'Grady claimed that tabloids had been publishing false quotations attributed to him, describing Richard and Judy as "a lovely couple and we certainly haven't fallen out." At Christmas 2004, O'Grady starred in a pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London's West End. After the second series of The Paul O'Grady Show
14448-404: The sport. Playing truant from school, he got into trouble with his parents, and subsequently with the police after burgling a house with three friends. O'Grady's first job was a paper round that he kept for a week, and through this and other jobs, he saved up to afford Mod clothes, for a time becoming a suedehead . Leaving school aged 16, O'Grady obtained a job in the civil service, working as
14577-461: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
14706-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
14835-589: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
14964-589: The words to Barbra Streisand 's "Nobody Makes a Pass at Me" from the show Pins and Needles . Following a holiday to Poland, he visited an ex-boyfriend in Manila in the Philippines, there working briefly as a barman and waiter at a brothel. Returning to London, O'Grady moved to Purley and then Streatham with a drag act, the Glamazons. With one of them, nicknamed "Hush", he founded a two-man drag mime act,
15093-407: Was a Catholic preparatory day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 11 in the Oxton suburb of Prenton , Merseyside , England . It closed in 2019. Redcourt St Anselm's began as the prep department of St. Anselm's College . The Christian Brothers were looking for a place to relocate the younger boys due to the lack of space and purchased Redcourt for £3,250 in 1946. The 197 junior boys moved in
15222-516: Was a tribute to the late Coronation Street actress Jean Alexander . Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
15351-491: Was awarded Best Entertainment Program at the 1997 National Television Awards . He turned down ITV's subsequent offer of a weekly show because it would air before the watershed and thus force him to drastically alter his act into a form of light entertainment . With Murphy he then established a production company, Wildflower. Returning to theatre, he performed The Lily Savage Show for a 16-week sell-out run at Blackpool's North Pier Theatre and then Lily's Christmas Cracker at
15480-552: Was born in England to Irish immigrants from County Louth . Paul was their third child; his birth came over a decade after those of brother Brendan (born 1941) and sister Sheila (born 1944). O'Grady spent his early life at the family's rented home at 23 Holly Grove in Higher Tranmere. He later said, "When I look back on my childhood I have no bad memories. Our family was loving and full of affection. I never knew what divorce
15609-608: Was commissioned, in March 2005 it was awarded Best Daytime Programme by the Royal Television Society , and O'Grady was subsequently awarded Best Entertainment Performance at the BAFTAs . In August controversy arose after it was revealed that the staff member responsible for interviewing the show's prospective child reporters had written derogatory notes about them; O'Grady dismissed the staff member responsible and issued
15738-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
15867-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
15996-518: Was never happier than in a TV studio or theatre... Buster knew all the theatre doormen and loved being fussed over. He was a smashing dog." At the time, O'Grady had been making greater attempts to get to know his teenage daughter; the Daily Mirror tabloid treated her existence as a headline scandal in autumn 1994. Critical of the media, O'Grady condemned them for solely referring to him as a drag queen; he commented that Barry Humphries , who played
16125-541: Was nominated for both Top Live Stand-Up Comedian and Top Television Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards . Some in the South London gay scene were critical of O'Grady, accusing him of being a sell out ; he fiercely denied these accusations, stating that "I've done nearly ten years on the factory floor and now I feel I deserve a shot in the office." After Paula Yates resigned as presenter of
16254-513: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
16383-585: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
16512-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
16641-480: Was until I moved to London. I was an indulged child and completely protected from anything bad." Attending St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, O'Grady excelled in all subjects except mathematics. Hoping that he had a good future ahead of him, his parents budgeted to send him to a private school, the Catholic-run Redcourt , but his grades dropped. Failing the eleven plus exam , he was unable to enter
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