Paul O’Grady is being laid to rest in his home village of Aldington, Kent (Picture: PA)
Paul O’Grady’s funeral got underway with hundreds of fans lining the streets to pay their respects to the beloved entertainer, following his death last month.
The For The Love Of Dogs star died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ on March 28 at the age of 67 and his cause of death was later revealed to be a cardiac arrhythmia.
It was recently confirmed that O’Grady would be laid to rest in his adopted hometown village of Aldington, Kent on April 20 following a private service at a nearby church. Locals have been invited to ‘line the streets as a mark of respect’.
A procession of limousines and a coffin in a horse and carriage will move from his home to St Rumwold’s Church in nearby Bonnington in the early afternoon.
Among the first celebrities to arrive for the service were comedian Jo Brand and former EastEnders actress Cheryl Fergison, who arrived together, while Peter Tatchell was also spotted making his way to the venue with a female companion.
A bake sale was being organised outside the Walnut Tree pub with proceeds going to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, with which he worked closely throughout his life thanks to his well-known love of the animals.
On Thursday morning, schoolchildren were seen in the village standing in front of signs that read: ‘Thank you Mr Paul O’Grady,’ and holding large boards with a heart filled with hand-drawn messages.
The comedian died on March 28 aged 67 (Picture: Rex Features)
Jo Brand (left) and actress Cheryl Fergison made their way to the funeral together (Picture: PA)
Peter Tatchell was among one of the first public figures to arrive for the service (Picture: PA)
Pupils and teachers from Aldington Primary School paid their respects with hand drawn tributes (Picture: PA)
A mourner brought their dog to say ‘thank you’ to O’Grady, who spent years working closely with cats and dogs shelters (Picture: PA)
Hundreds are expected to line the streets of Aldington along the procession route (Picture: SplashNews.com)
Many mourners were accompanied by their pet dogs in a heartwarming tribute to the late star.
An insider previously said: ‘Paul’s funeral will be completely private but Andre wanted to make sure locals were involved in some form.
‘He has invited them to come out on Thursday and pay their respects to the cortege which will be taken down three certain streets in the village.’
They added to The Sun: ‘A post was shared on the local community group by Andre so the word has started to spread.’
O’Grady was born in Birkenhead on the Wirral, Merseyside but later adopted Kent as his home for more than 20 years.
After news of his death broke, tributes immediately poured in for the comedian, who was also known for his drag act Lily Savage, led by his husband Andre Portasio who said in a statement: ‘He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
Locals were invited to attend the funeral route via posters
Locals will be raising money for Battersea Cats & Dogs Home, which O’Grady famously supported (Picture: PA)
O’Grady was also known for his drag act Lily Savage (Picture: Rex Features)
‘I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.’
O’Grady married ballet dancer Portasio in a low-key wedding ceremony in 2017 at the Goring Hotel in London, with guests thought to have included stars such as Sir Ian McKellen and Julian Clary.
The comedian and presenter made a name for himself fronting a host of popular TV shows, including The Paul O’Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV1’s multi-award-winning For The Love Of Dogs.
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In 2017, O’Grady took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black in a Channel 5 reboot of the show following her death in 2015.
Last year, he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, an organisation for which he was an ambassador.
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MORE : Paul O’Grady’s funeral will take place this week with locals invited to pay respects
O’Grady, who died on March 28, is being laid to rest in the village of Aldington, Kent.