Paul O'Grady's last television project, along with a 90-minute tribute to his life and career, will be broadcast on ITV1 this Easter, marking the first anniversary of his death. The documentary, titled The Life and Death of Lily Savage, will feature interviews with his daughter Sharyn Mousley, speaking publicly for the first time, as well as close friends including Sir Ian McKellen, Julian Clary, and Graham Norton.
The feature-length documentary explores the biography of O'Grady's drag queen alter ego, Lily Savage, from her origins in Liverpool's docks to her disappearance from mainstream television. It is set against the backdrop of social and political change, including Thatcher's Britain, Clause 28, and the AIDS crisis. Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual at ITV, described it as a 'blue chip feature-length documentary' that reveals the little-known story of Lily Savage.
O'Grady's final TV project, Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure, will also air for the first time. The two-part series follows O'Grady as he travels through Thailand and Laos to celebrate elephant conservation centres. Filmed in December 2022, just weeks before his sudden death at age 67, the voiceover was recorded in early 2023. Clare Barton, Executive Producer at Silver Star, called it 'an honour and a privilege' to make the series with O'Grady.
The tribute documentary includes personal accounts from O'Grady's sister Sheila Rudd, and friends Jools Holland, Jo Brand, Alan Carr, and others. It delves into how O'Grady, a working-class gay man from Birkenhead, created Lily Savage, a Scouse sex worker character, and honed her persona in London's underground gay venues during the 1970s and 80s. O'Grady was a leading voice for LGBTQ+ equality, enduring police raids and personal loss before Lily Savage found mainstream success on shows like The Big Breakfast and Blankety Blank.
O'Grady famously retired Lily Savage in 2004, and the documentary explores why he decided to 'kill her off.' The programmes will air on ITV1 this Easter, celebrating the life of a national treasure who brought laughter and love for animals to millions.
