Paul O’Grady was reportedly “disappointed” with how he was treated by the BBC in the last months before his death, according to his friend and radio producer Malcolm Prince.
Paul hosted his BBC Radio 2 show – Paul O’Grady on the Wireless – from 2009 until August 2022. But he had a long-running relationship with the BBC, interviewing many famous faces on the Lily Savage Show and hosting Blankety Blank as the character too.
Paul O’Grady ‘so disappointed with the way he was treated’
TV legend Paul hosted his popular Radio 2 show for 13 years, but his pal and radio producer Malcolm Prince wrote in the Radio Times that Paul was “so disappointed with the way he was treated”. Paul quit his BBC Radio 2 show in August last year after hosting the Sunday evening 5-7pm slot since 2009.
Pal Malcolm revealed that Paul was “so proud” to be working with the BBC when he first began his radio show.However, he claimed that he didn’t receive a leaving party when he quit the show. Malcolm alleged: “But by the end of it, when Radio 2 told us the show was coming to an end, he was so disappointed with the way he was treated.”
He told me recently that Radio 2 wasn’t what it was when he joined.
He went on to claim: “He fulfilled his contract, did as he was asked and then, in August last year, he politely left. There was no hamper or leaving party, or any of that. He told me recently that Radio 2 wasn’t what it was when he joined.”
‘We always mark depatures’
Responding to Malcolm’s comments, the BBC told ED!: “Whilst we don’t do leaving parties, we always mark departures, as we did Paul’s last show last August. He received a gift from Radio 2 with all our best wishes.”
At the time of his departure, Paul himself admitted it was his decision to leave. He said: “I’ve loved doing my Sunday afternoon show for the last 14 years. I’m going to miss my listeners as well as the fun I’ve had with my producer Malcolm Prince. But I feel that now is the right time to go.”
The TV star was ‘full of life’ the afternoon before death
Malcolm previously revealed that Paul was “full of life” in the afternoon before his unexpected death on March 28.
Malcolm shared in a Tweet: “Yesterday afternoon, I popped round to Paul’s for a good old catch-up. He was laughing, smiling, and full of life. Surrounded by his beloved dogs, he was laughing, smiling, and full of life. He was so proud of ‘Annie’, so happy to be back on Boom Radio, and he was looking forward to so many new projects. And now he’s gone. I can’t believe it.”
He continued: “We have lost a unique talent – and I’ve lost a dear friend. We were all lucky to have Paul in our lives. My heart goes out to Andre, Paul’s family, and friends. Oh, how I’ll miss him.”
Malcolm added in his Radio Times piece that the last thing Paul said to him was “I’ll talk to you tomorrow”. Paul sadly died in bed next to his husband Andre later that day.
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