Paul O'Grady: The Biography

by NeilSimpson (Author), Neil Simpson (Author), Neil Simpson (Author)

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  Comedian, tea-time talk show host and all-round entertainer, multi-award winning Paul O'Grady is one of the most popular figures on British television. Brought up in an Irish Catholic house in Tranmere, Birkenhead, O'Grady has come a long way from his roots. And what a lively and incredible journey it has been. He has worked as a civil servant, a waiter, a barman, a woodsman, a carer in a children's home and an office worker in an abattoir. And his private life has been equally colourful. He was married twice in his youth - once to a lesbian Portuguese waitress. Initially famous for his outrageous wigs and raucous behaviour, he found fame as Lily Savage or the 'Blonde Bombshell', a vampish drag act that was inspired by his experiences when working as a waiter in a brothel. He began by touring gay clubs and pubs. Then, in the early 1990s, he achieved more mainstream fame with his big break - a slot on ITV's This Morning . In recent years, after hosting many highly acclaimed TV shows as Lily Savage, O'Grady has chosen to appear as himself. He has been seen jet-setting around the world in his travelogue shows entitled Paul O'Grady's Orient and Paul O'Grady's America, causing havoc in the BBC's Celebrity Driving School , and, most recently, hosting his hugely popular self-titled talk show. The abundance of awards that Paul O'Grady has been given in the past five years are a testament to just how much affection the British public have for him. In this hilarious new biography, Neil Simpson paints a fascinating and novel portrait of the wild and incredible man that we all love so much.

• Used

  paperback
  

  $3.39

  Comedian, teatime talk show host and all-round entertainer, multi-award winning Paul O'Grady is one of the most popular figures on British television.But his real-life journey has been more dramatic than any of his on-stage stories.Born into a noisy Irish Catholic household in Birkenhead, Paul was always determined to live a colourful life. He was a boxing champion as a boy. He became a dad as a teenager. He has been a barman in a brothel and spent his first years in London working as a carer to some of the capital's most at-risk kids.In this, the first major biography of the star, Neil Simpson reveals the extraordinary highs and the terrible lows of Paul's life. He explains: how Lily Savage was born as a way to make more money - and help Paul take his mind off the horrors he saw every day as a social worker; how tough it was for the 'blonde bombsite from Birkenhead' to break into the entertainment mainstream; and, why Paul decided to risk everything by throwing off Lily's wig and carving out a new career as himself.The depression, the private grief and the near fatal heart attacks that struck as Paul re-invented himself as the funniest and most successful chat show host in the country. Frequently hilarious and sometimes heart-wrenchingly sad, Paul O'Grady has always lived his life on a rollercoaster of emotions. Today he is a proud grandfather, a multimillionaire and a man loved by millions of devoted fans. This is his incredible story.

• New

  paperback
  

  $10.85

  Comedian, teatime talk show host and all-round entertainer, multi-award winning Paul O'Grady is one of the most popular figures on British television.But his real-life journey has been more dramatic than any of his on-stage stories.Born into a noisy Irish Catholic household in Birkenhead, Paul was always determined to live a colourful life. He was a boxing champion as a boy. He became a dad as a teenager. He has been a barman in a brothel and spent his first years in London working as a carer to some of the capital's most at-risk kids.In this, the first major biography of the star, Neil Simpson reveals the extraordinary highs and the terrible lows of Paul's life. He explains: how Lily Savage was born as a way to make more money - and help Paul take his mind off the horrors he saw every day as a social worker; how tough it was for the 'blonde bombsite from Birkenhead' to break into the entertainment mainstream; and, why Paul decided to risk everything by throwing off Lily's wig and carving out a new career as himself.The depression, the private grief and the near fatal heart attacks that struck as Paul re-invented himself as the funniest and most successful chat show host in the country. Frequently hilarious and sometimes heart-wrenchingly sad, Paul O'Grady has always lived his life on a rollercoaster of emotions. Today he is a proud grandfather, a multimillionaire and a man loved by millions of devoted fans. This is his incredible story.