Paul O’Grady’s final ever radio show will be rebroadcast on Easter Sunday, in tribute to the entertainment icon following his death earlier this week (March 28).
In a statement released by Paul O’Grady’s husband Andre Portasio, he is confirmed to have passed away “unexpectedly but peacefully” at the age of 67 on Tuesday evening.
The full two-hour show, which originally aired on Boom Radio on Christmas Day last year, will be played including all festive elements.
David Lloyd, programme director at BOOM Radio, has told Sky News they met with Paul O'Grady the day before his death to plan his radio comebackhttps://t.co/vQSuDkoA2N pic.twitter.com/VQ3ghoel3m
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 30, 2023
Comedian and presenter O’Grady had been scheduled to make his return to the airwaves for the show following his departure from BBC Radio 2.
It will air on Easter Sunday (April 9) at 2pm, the time previously scheduled for his return.
O’Grady had been set to host the programme from his home alongside producer and long-time friend Malcolm Prince – who will introduce the special airing.
Prince said: “Paul was really proud of the show and he’d find this festive repeat at Easter time very amusing.
“The sentiments in the show feel so right too – hope, wish, fulfilment, joy — even love.”
"There are few broadcasters who attract the love Paul did. The response to his last show was enormous - listeners felt he'd popped around to their house over
— BoomRadioUK (@BoomRadioUK) March 29, 2023
lunch. That was his gift. Our thoughts are with his family and friends," Phil Riley, co-founder, Boom. pic.twitter.com/KUwAs59T3d
Paul O'Grady was hoping to return to Boom Radio following Radio 2 departure
O’Grady, also known for his famous drag persona Lily Savage, joined Boom Radio last Christmas after 14 years at BBC Radio 2.
The station planned an Easter special which it had hoped would be the start of a more regular series with the presenter.
Boom Radio was founded during the pandemic by former radio executives Riley and David Lloyd, and saw presenters hosting shows and playing music from their garden sheds and bedrooms.
Lloyd said the decision to re-air O’Grady’s final show had been by popular demand.
He continued: “We’ve been inundated with emails from listeners in the last 24 hours pleading to hear the show again, regardless of the festive flavour. They just want to hear Paul’s voice again.”
The Paul O’Grady Christmas Special is on Boom Radio at 2pm on Easter Sunday.
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