Paul James O'Grady was born on 14 June 1955 in Birkenhead, England. He attended Christian Brothers School and, after his graduation, worked as a clerk in a magistrate's court. During that time he met a woman named Diane Jansen with whom he had a brief affair. Their daughter, Sharyn, was born in 1974. However, Paul felt that he was too young to be a father and decided to travel to Europe where he worked as a waiter in a brothel in Manila. He returned to England in the 1980s and in 1985 he debuted his drag character, Lily Savage, in the gay bars and clubs throughout London. The character became extremely popular and afforded Paul his own television show, "Live From The Lilydrome", which debuted in 1995. In 2000 he retired the character of Lily Savage and began appearing on television solely as Paul O'Grady. In 2002 Paul suffered a heart attack in his London flat. He now lives on a farm near Kent, England. Paul is currently single and happily devoted to his daughter, with whom he shares a very close relationship.
Although gay, he was married to a woman before he was famous, which produced a daughter, Sharon (born 16 May 1974).
He was a social worker before becoming famous.
He was close to fellow Liverpudlian Cilla Black and inherited her role as presenter of "Blind Date" following her death.
He has a small farm.
He has three small dogs, named Buster, Olga and Louie, the former two being regulars on his show. He got Olga in 2004 as she was one of many puppies who appeared on the show in an appeal to be re-homed. OGrady decided he himself would keep her.
He often claims that he learned to play the organ at the fictitious "Birkenhead School of Music" during a segment of his TV show where he (pretends) to play a Hammond Organ, and contestants must guess the tunes he "plays".
He was offered a guest part in "Emmerdale Farm" .
He was offered a cameo part of a TV Producer in Doctors by Christopher Timothy.
His only child Sharon Jansen married her childhood friend Philip Moseley at Liverpool Town Hall on July 30, 2005.
On 22 July 2005, he was given an honorary fellowship to Liverpool John Moores University.
His long term lover and business partner of 20 years was TV producer Brendan Murphy , who died of cancer on June 12, 2005. After the first show of series three of the "Paul OGrady Show", there was a tribute to him.
In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 32, up from 33.
He became a grandfather for the first time when his daughter, Sharon, gave birth to her first child - a baby boy - with husband Philip on 26th December 2006. The baby weighed 7lbs and 14ozs and was named Abel Moseley.
He was awarded the MBE in the 2008 Queens Birthday Honours List for his services to entertainment.
His favourite television series is "The Avengers" .
He owns a tapestry that was made and given to him by Wendy Richard.
He is a close family friend of Natalie Cassidy , whom he refers to as his "niece".
On 29th September he adopted a new puppy live on air after much nagging from the studio audience. OGrady was hosting a segment on homeless animals when he began to fall in love with the dog, named Scottie. He announced that the new puppy would be renamed Bullseye on the following show.
On 19th November 2009 he had to put his beloved dog, Buster, to sleep after it was found he was suffering from cancer. He announced Busters death live on air on 23rd November and had to leave the stage during a tribute to Buster as he was too upset to watch.
He is an accomplished pianist and organist.
At age 11, discovered Barbra Streisand over the hospital radio while convalescing after a tonsillectomy operation. Ever since has counted her as one of his all-time favorite recording artists.
In March 2005, he was presenting a new series of "The Paul OGrady Show" which started on 14th March 2005 and is running for 16 weeks.
He suffered near-fatal heart attacks in 2002 and 2006.
He was said to be trying to give up smoking when he suffered an angina attack in November 2013, which necessitated further heart surgery.
He is major supporter of the Labour Party and an LGBT rights activist. He joined a public protest in the UK against Russias introduction of a law under Vladimir Putin which prevented the promotion of homosexuality to children.
