Paul O’Grady, the lovable host and comedian, well-known for his character Lily Savage, passed away over a year ago on 28 March at the age of 67. At the time, his beloved husband Andre Portasio shared the heartbreaking news and said Paul died “peacefully”.
Having suffered from heart attacks in the years 2002, 2006 and 2014, Paul had always been open about his health struggles. Both of his parents had died due to heart issues and it was confirmed Paul had died from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Formerly a heavy smoker, the comedian’s first heart attack struck in 2002, followed by another four years later. In 2013, Paul was then rushed to hospital after experiencing angina – a chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles, reports the Express.
Paul O’Grady spoke about his health struggles and near-death experiences before his passing in 2023
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
That was the same year when he first opened up about life and death: “I do count my blessings”.
“I have had two heart attacks, and if I get to 60 that will be amazing. I don’t fear anything nowadays.” He told The Mirror: “There has to be an angel out there. They are trying to steer me out of trouble 24 hours a day.”
When he turned 65 in 2020, he revealed how he survived three heart attacks, failure of his kidneys and a covid scare. The Sun quoted him saying: “My cardiologist says I have the constitution of an ox.
“Three days after my last heart attack, I was back fire-eating with McFly.
“The heart is a muscle so you have two choices: Sit on the sofa and count your tablets all day, or get on with it and get moving – swimming and walking, gentle exercise.”
Paul O’Grady and his beloved husband Andre Portasio
(Image: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Talking about his first heart attack, when he was brought back to life in an ambulance, he told The Times: “I’d sort of been waiting for it… all our family has died of heart disease.
“But I never thought I wasn’t going to make it. God, no.”
He also said: “Everyone asks, ‘Did you see anything? ‘ No, sorry. Nothing. No heavenly choirs, no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Talking about the second heart scare, he shared: “I was in Waitrose and it was like an earthquake. I had to sit down by the yoghurt, thinking: ‘I’ll be OK in a minute.’
“I went home to bed, then got up and made ice cream and meatloaf, as I had friends coming.
“It kicked in about 4 in the morning, so I took a painkiller and an aspirin and waited till 9am, when Sean who works for me, arrived.
The TV presenter and comedian with Queen Camilla in 2022
(Image: Getty Images)
“I was so white he thought I had a hangover. He nearly had a heart attack himself.”
Back in 2017, while filming his animal show in India, he ended up in hospital with kidney problems. Doctors saved him with antibiotics and saline drips.
At that time, the famous Blind Date host said: “I’m not scared of death at all. It’s the way you die that worries me that’s the fear.
“I think I could lie there on my death bed and say, ‘Well, I’ve had a good time and filled a book. I’ve done everything I wanted to do’.
“I think health can also be a state of mind, I’ve had three heart attacks and I’m fine. You’ve got to take your medication and exercise. Your heart’s a muscle so you can’t just sit on the sofa and moan you’re not well.”
Paul O’Grady as the legendary Lily Savage
(Image: SHUTTERSTOCK)
He continued: “You see things that make you more aware of mortality. I’ve lost lots of friends lately to cancer and the AIDS years were like a clean sweep of all my mates.
“You have to accept things and realise you haven’t got 50 years any more like you had as a teenager.”
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