The funeral of Paul O’Grady took place in his home village of Aldington, Kent, yesterday (April 20), with the star being laid to rest alongside his former partner Brendan Murphy, it has been reported.
Paul’s funeral procession was led by his husband Andre Portasio, who he married in 2017. Paul met Andre after the death of Brendan. Brendan, who was Paul’s partner and manager, died in 2005 from an inoperable brain tumour.
Funeral of Paul O’Grady: Star buried next to ex-partner
Speaking after Brendan’s death, Paul paid tribute to his “best mate”. So it’s surely only fitting that the former couple are now laid to rest together.
Brendan tragically died at Charing Cross Hospital just days before Paul was due to celebrate his 50th birthday. The For The Love Of Dogs star opened up on losing Brendan to the Mirror at the time of his death 18 years ago.
“I’d lost my best mate, someone who’d been in my life for 25 years and saw me through the days when I was lucky to earn £50 for standing on a beer crate in the corner of a pub telling jokes. Murph and I were like brothers – joined at the hip, thick as thieves.
I told him about our carol service, he asked after the church, because his former partner was buried here years ago.
“It transcended any sexual relationship we’d had. This was a partnership. A double act, Emma Peel and Steed, Laurel and Hardy. We were both 49, barely able to believe what we’d achieved – I’d just won a BAFTA for the Paul O’Grady Show – and then suddenly bang, he’s gone.”
After losing Brendan, Paul went on to marry former ballet dancer Andre. Heartbroken Andre led the funeral procession yesterday. He sat on a carriage that pulled Paul’s coffin. Andre was accompanied by one of the couple’s dogs, Conchita, who sat on his lap.
‘He was a lovely man’
Earlier in the day, the warden at the church where Paul’s funeral took place spoke about the last time he saw the entertainer. Speaking to PA, he said: “I last spoke to him in December, I met him in Waitrose. I told him about our carol service, he asked after the church, because his former partner was buried here years ago. He used to come to church occasionally, Paul did after that, but not recently.”
The warden added of Paul: “He was popular in the village, he opened school fetes, he didn’t hide himself away, he talked to people, he was popular in the village. Nobody has ever said a bad word about him. He was a lovely man.”
Read more: Paul O’Grady’s daughter leaves heartbreaking note from her and star’s grandchildren at his funeral
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