Paul O’Grady was as integral to British media, comedy and culture as many of the greats of the television world. Whether presenting as himself or as the outrageous Lily Savage, you always knew that watching Paul meant you were in for a laugh! I recently read an old biography about the television legend, and it felt like hearing your grandparents’ stories all over again!
Paul O’Grady The Biography recounts the life of the late entertainer and television personality from his birth until the start of 2007, including his upbringing, the emergence of his alter-ego Lily Savage and the path O’Grady took to becoming a daytime television icon. The book also touches on the hardships O’Grady faced in his life, with quotes and anecdotes from many of the people who knew him best.
I was incredibly shocked to learn of the passing of Paul O’Grady back in March, as were most people, and seeing this book in the charity shop, I simply couldn’t avoid it. And I’m so glad that I did pick it up. Whilst it obviously doesn’t cover his most recent years, I feel like I know and understand the entertainer a lot more than I used to. The way his story is told is deeply personal and was clearly written with so much love and respect for the presenter. Getting to read about his own trials and the issues he faced in the industry was a deeply insightful look at Britain’s entertainment industry, and just how O’Grady came to such acclaim in it!
My only criticism with this book was its structure. The book is punctuated with quotes from a range of people throughout, which was quite off-putting and really took me out of the flow of reading, it felt almost like I was reading a newspaper at times. Whilst the comments were touching and sometimes hilarious (especially when the quotes were from O’Grady himself!), the idea of using quotes in a largely third-person biography is not a creative choice I particularly enjoyed.
If you also grew up with Paul O’Grady on your screens, then this book is definitely one to check out. I can’t wait to read about the rest of Paul’s life in an updated version up until his passing, which I’m sure is already in the works!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Paul O’Grady The Biography (ISBN: 978-1-84454-417-2) was published in 2007
