Paul O’Grady and Andre Portasio got married in 2017 (Picture: WireImage)
The widower of the late Paul O’Grady has said he is ‘still digesting’ the TV stalwart’s death – adding he has ‘kept myself to myself since Paul died’.
O’Grady – who rose to fame as Lily Savage before going on to host a string of television programmes – died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ at his home on March 28 at the age of 67.
The late star’s husband Andre Portasio said he was ‘trying to take it day by day’ in the aftermath of the shocking news.
Andre – who attended the British LGBT Awards on Friday to collect a gong on his husband’s behalf – told the Daily Star Sunday: ‘I am trying to take it day by day and cope with it. At the moment I am coping.
‘It was such a shock for me to lose him. It was a shock to all of us. It was so unexpected. I am still digesting it all.’
O’Grady’s death sparked an outpouring of grief from the British public, with his surviving spouse telling the publication he was ‘amazed’ at ‘how much he affected, inspired and touched people’.
The comedian died ‘unexpectedly’ in March (Picture: andre_portasio / instagram)
Paul rose to fame with his alter ego Lily Savage (Picture: Shutterstock)
He continued explaining: ‘I have received so many letters. There have been thousands.
‘I am still trying to reply to them all three months on. And people are still going to his grave to leave things.
‘I am amazed how someone can touch people in the way he did. And every animal he met too.’
O’Grady was laid to rest in April in the village of Bonnington in Kent.
The late comedian’s husband’s words came after O’Grady was supposedly being posthumously given the freedom of Wirral as part of plans to pay tribute to his legacy.
His death caused an outpouring of public grief (Picture: Shutterstock)
He died aged 67 (Picture: @andre_portasio/Instagram)
O’Grady grew up in Merseyside but later moved to London, where he found fame as his drag alter-ego Lily Savage and went on to host a string of television programmes.
In a statement, Wirral Council said: ‘Since the sad passing of Birkenhead’s legendary entertainer Paul O’Grady in March, we’ve heard the many asks for us to celebrate his legacy and we agree.
‘The first step in doing so will see councillors consider a recommendation to bestow the star – who first found fame as the self-proclaimed ‘blonde bombsite’ Lily Savage – with the honour of freedom of the borough.
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‘This would recognise his years entertaining the nation, along with his dedicated activism and charity work.
‘We are also looking at other ways to pay tribute to the legacy of both Paul and Lily – more details will be shared as soon as we have them.’
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‘At the moment I am coping’.