He lit a spliff and then passed away in his chair, says Paul O’Grady’s loving husband at emotional memorial
TELLY favourite Paul O’Grady died while smoking a spliff, his husband has revealed.
Andre Portasio told a celebrity-packed memorial gathering that Paul, 67, passed away peacefully in March as they shared a cannabis joint at their home in Kent.
Paul O’Grady’s husband told how the telly star nipped into the kitchen to make a “cup of tea” on the night he died — their special code for rolling a spliff.
The 67-year-old came back into the living room to smoke the cannabis joint with his long-term partner before passing away in a chair.
Andre revealed their poignant final hours together at an emotional memorial event on Wednesday night, where celebrities including Alan Carr, Amanda Holden and Dawn French gathered to remember their much-loved pal.
The Brazilian also told a string of anecdotes — some outrageous — as guests laughed affectionately about Paul, who died in March at home in Kent.
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Andre, who married the Lily Savage star in 2017, 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.”
It was the first time some of Paul’s friends had heard details of the last hours of the star, who died after an exhausting seven-month work schedule.
Andre also recalled Paul’s hatred of cheap hotels while filming – joking that he would regularly condemn the poor accommodation TV producers would book for him while out on the road.
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An onlooker at the event, held at London’s Bloomsbury Ballroom, said: “It was a very moving speech, with some lovely memories and stories – and everyone laughed a lot – but it was also surprisingly candid. It was just Andre’s way of dealing with grief and getting things off his chest.”
Comedian pal Julian Clary was among other speakers at the gathering — and jokingly recalled a crazy meal at the star’s home.
He said: “I went over to Paul’s for dinner, and he served me pumpkin soup. After that, the evening got a bit a wild - and I can’t remember very much.
“The next day, Paul called me and said, ‘How did you find the soup?’ and laughed hysterically.
“God knows what he’d put in it!”
Some 320 guests, including including Sheila Hancock, Gaby Roslin and Helen Worth, were at the event — and the memorial programme for the devoted animal lover had a dog’s pawprint on the front.
Former social worker Paul shot to fame as drag act Lily Savage before hosting a string of radio and TV shows as himself, becoming one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers.
In the months before he died he took on as much work as possible after quitting his BBC Radio 2 show in protest at another presenter sharing his programme.
Three days before his death, he completed a UK tour playing Miss Hannigan in Annie, The Musical.
Last year, Paul also made the 11th series of his ITV show For the Love of Dogs and was completing a secret documentary on elephants in Laos before he passed away.
A TV insider said at the time: “Paul had committed to a workload that would overwhelm a man half his age, but he liked regular work to keep him occupied.”
The source added “despite his advancing years and ailing health” he was busier than ever, “perhaps feeling the sense it could all come to an end at any moment”.
They went on: “Losing his Radio 2 show had proved a huge shock for Paul as he loved it dearly.
“He felt the need to fill the void at a time when he should probably have been taking things easy.”
Paul was close friends with many celebrities he had met during more than four decades in showbiz.
He also had a daughter Sharon, who he had with friend Diane Jansen when he was just 18, as well as two grandchildren.
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Andre said at the time of his death he had “passed away unexpectedly but peacefully”.
He added: “He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.”
