Here’s Paul O’Grady’s (And Lily Savage’s) Best Quotes

'I don’t live with people, that’s why my relationships last. I’m not romantic. Even when I was a teenager, if somebody asked if they could hold my hand I’d say, no, it’s not heavy. I can hold it myself, thank you.’ - on his love life.

‘I enjoyed school – although I ran away on the first day. I’d reminded the teacher that it was nearly time for Watch With Mother on TV.’

'My name's Lily Savage. Oh God, it's not Lily Savage. It's Paul O'Grady!' - on his Drag Queen persona.

‘I stayed in bed for two days when Girls Aloud split.'

'Well, well. Looks like we have help with the washing up' - Lily Savage, when Police stormed iconic LGBTQ+ venue, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, in 1987. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, officers wore rubber gloves to arrest people.

'Life’s too short to clean an oven.'

‘I am not bothered about sex, money or fame. I just want a mongoose.’

‘I like a Blackpool breakfast, me – 20 ciggies and a pot of tea.’ - Lily Savage

‘I was a really picky eater as a child. Because I was obsessed by Popeye, my mum and aunts would put my food in a can to represent spinach and we’d hum the popeye tube, and then I’d happily eat it.’

‘I don’t want to sound like Catherine Cookson, but I’ve worked since I was eight, with a paper round and in a fruit and veg shop. Taking a pay cut won’t demotivate me, not at all. It’s not about money in the first place. It’s about the job.’ - on his career.

'It’s this new breed, isn’t it? Fellas now, they’re called lads. I know what I’d call them… Gobs*****' - Lily Savage on lad culture.

'Your chest clears up but you’ve got piles by the end of the week' – Lily Savage on Silk Cut cigarettes.

'I dress up as a middle-aged prostitute and do a game show' - Lily Savage on her career

'Have I got to get changed? I’m f*cking sick of this. I’m in and out. The frocks on, the frocks off. I'm like an Amsterdam tart – and not a sh*g in the middle of it' - Lily Savage on her costume changes.

'You need two things in a riot – flat shoes and a pram' - Lily Savage

'I was a familiar sight at Victoria, dressed as Miss Hannigan with 12 orphans behind me, staggering across the street' - Lily Savage

'I’m travelling light this time, but when I used to go on the road, I’d take my Baby Belling oven and my electric frying pan' - Lily Savage

'When a girl’s skint, the best thing to do is have a break-in' - Lily Savage

'To take any animal into your life will inevitably end in heartache, but you don't worry about the hangover when you're at the party.' Paul was a devout animal lover and hosted Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs from 2012 and the show lasted nine series.

In a tribute to Paul, Alan Carr shared a story from when he and a friend had dinner with Paul and said, 'do you think you'll go to heaven, Paul?'. He replied, 'quick as a whip': 'I hope not! I won't know anyone.' A legend.