A new documentary will air on Friday, 29 March looking back at the life of the late Paul O’Grady and his famous drag act Lily Savage, which saw him shoot to fame. The ITV show will mark a year since the comedian passed away “unexpectedly but peacefully” at the age of 67.
Following news of his passing, Amanda Holden sparked backlash after making a ‘woke’ comment during a tribute to the TV star. Paul’s husband Andre Portasio announced his peaceful passing and Amanda, who had worked alongside the star, expressed her shock and shared her thoughts on the sad news during her Heart breakfast show with co-host Jamie Theakston.
Amanda Holden sparked backlash after making a ‘woke’ comment during a tribute to Paul O’Grady
(Image: Getty Images)
She said during the show: “Do you know what I loved about him? He was not woke in any way. He had massive opinions on everything, which I love people like that.” The comment made by the radio host caused an uproar among fans of the late comedian, as Paul was well known for being vocal about his support for LGBTQ+ causes and anti-austerity work.
Many fans criticised Amanda’s remark and questioned her understanding of the term ‘woke’. According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘woke’ refers to someone who is “very aware of social and political unfairness”.
Fans took to Twitter, now known as X, to express their opinions on Amanda’s comment during her radio show. One person wrote: “When paying tribute to Paul O’Grady on during her Heart breakfast show, Amanda Holden said that he “didn’t have a woke bone in his body”, and I can’t work out whether she doesn’t know what woke means, or simply doesn’t know who Paul O’Grady is.”
O’Grady made his big break as drag queen Lily Savage
(Image: Getty Images)
A second said: “What an awful tribute. Does Amanda Holden have any clue what the word ‘woke’ means. He was a socialist and a drag queen who fought for LGBTQ rights and against austerity. Ask Amanda what woke means.” A third added: “The man was a queer activist, trailblazer and unapologetic drag queen on prime time TV when being gay was seen as dirty. What about that isn’t woke?”
Paul was famous for his drag character Lily Savage and helped people during the Aids crisis in the 80s and 90s. He was at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern for a big event in 1987 when police came in wearing gloves because they didn’t want to touch gay men.
The comedian with his beloved dogs George and Alfie
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern previously shared: “In 2021, Paul O’Grady visited The RVT with [The Peter Tatchell Foundation] and spoke about the now infamous ‘poppers raid’, which took place when Lily was performing on our stage in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis.” They called him: “A true hero to LGBTQ+ people, thank you Paul.”
Paul had even admitted to being ‘woke’ in an interview before his death. He told The Sun in 2020: “I’m married to a ballet dancer, I’ve got a daughter, two grandkids and was married to a Portuguese lesbian barmaid. It doesn’t get much more woke.”
You can watch The Life and Death of Lily Savage on ITV at 9pm on Friday, 29 March.
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