Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady

Paul James O'Grady, MBE DL (14 June 1955 - 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio disc jockey. He achieved fame using his comedic drag queen character, "Lily Savage", and later became well known for presenting TV programmes as himself, such as The Paul O'Grady Show. Born to a working-class Irish family in Birkenhead, he attended Blessed Edward Campion Secondary Modern School, in Claughton Village, Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). O'Grady moved to London in the late-1970s, there working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council. It was here in 1978 that he developed his drag act, basing the character of Lily Savage upon traits found amongst female relatives. Touring northern England as part of drag mime duo, the Playgirls, he eventually went solo as a stand-up comedian. Performing as Savage for eight years at a South London gay pub, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained a popular following among the city's gay community and used his character to speak out for LGBT rights. After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award, he attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. As Savage, he presented morning chat show The Big Breakfast (1995–96), game show Blankety Blank (1997–2002) and comedy series Lily Live! (2000–01), earning various awards and becoming a well known public figure. Seeking to diversify his career away from Savage, O'Grady starred in BBC sitcom Eyes Down (2003–04) and presented two travel documentaries for ITV. In 2004, he began presenting ITV's daytime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, which proved a hit with audiences. After the network refused to transfer creative control of the series to O'Grady's production company, Olga TV, in 2006 he defected to rival Channel 4, where the show was rebranded as The New Paul O'Grady Show and ran until 2009. O'Grady subsequently presented a late night ITV show, Paul O'Grady Live (2010–11) as well as Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (which ran from 2012 until his death in 2023) and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans (2014–2016), while presenting BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless and publishing a four-volume autobiography. O'Grady received a variety of awards, among them honorary degrees and an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment. He died on 28th March 2023 aged 67.

  • Title: Paul O'Grady
  • Popularity: 3.911
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1955-06-14
  • Place of Birth: Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Paul Savage, Lily Savage
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Paul O'Grady Movies

  • 1996
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    An Evening with Lily Savage

    An Evening with Lily Savage

    1 1996 HD

    Enjoy the outrageous and flamboyant First Lady of British Comedy, Lily Savage, as she performs her incredibly hysterical live show before a...

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  • 2023
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    For the Love of Paul O'Grady

    For the Love of Paul O'Grady

    8 2023 HD

    ITV pays tribute to the iconic and much-loved entertainer Paul O'Grady in this special celebratory film, featuring highlights from his incredible...

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  • 1995
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    Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous

    Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous

    1 1995 HD

    From her Lambeth council flat to top billing on television and the West End stage comes the Scouse bombshell who's shaken British comedy to it's...

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  • 1993
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    Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent

    Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent

    1 1993 HD

    Multi award-winning TV personality Paul O'Grady stars as Lily Savage, the Scouse bombshell who catapulted him to superstardom. From her Lambeth...

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  • 2022
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    Maisie

    Maisie

    1 2022 HD

    After 50 years in the business, Mr. David Raven still performs as 'Maisie Trollette', Britain's Oldest Drag Artiste. But as his 85th birthday...

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  • 1994
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    Filth!

    Filth!

    1 1994 HD

    In the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty International “Secret Policeman’s Ball...

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  • 1998
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    Lily Savage: The Live Show

    Lily Savage: The Live Show

    1 1998 HD

    Lily Savage performs her first live tour in four years, captured here at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. Lily pulls no punches in an act designed to...

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  • 2021
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    Our Cilla: The One and Only

    Our Cilla: The One and Only

    1 2021 HD

    Doumentary telling the story of Cilla Black, who rose from working-class roots in Liverpool to become one of the nation's most successful and...

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  • 2005
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    Comic Aid

    Comic Aid

    5 2005 HD

    Shot live at the one off Comic Aid benefit gig at London’s Carling Apollo – which sold out in just three and a half minutes of tickets...

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  • 1993
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    In the Name of the Father

    In the Name of the Father

    7.9 1993 HD

    A small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub that kills several people while he is in London. He...

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  • 2024
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    The Life and Death of Lily Savage

    The Life and Death of Lily Savage

    1 2024 HD

    Intimate documentary exploring how Paul O'Grady's creation, Lily Savage, took mainstream TV by storm. Unravel the real story of Lily with insights...

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  • 2015
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    Our Cilla

    Our Cilla

    6.5 2015 HD

    Tribute to entertainer Cilla Black.

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  • 2024
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    The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

    The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

    1 2024 HD

    Produced over four years with full access from Ken’s widow Lady Dodd, the film takes an in-depth look into Doddy’s private world,...

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  • 1991
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    Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire

    Lily Savage Live from the Hackney Empire

    1 1991 HD

    This made-for-TV film, was Lily Savage's first foray into the world of video. Although the working-class, Birkenhead born tart-with-a-heart had...

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  • 2017
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    The Paul O'Grady Story

    The Paul O'Grady Story

    8.3 2017 HD

    A razor-witted entertainer who found fame as two people - first his drag queen alter ego, Lily Savage, and then as himself. This documentary film...

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  • 1970
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    The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show

    The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show

    1 1970 HD

    A specially created compilation of unused material from her incredibly successful 1998 BBC series

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  • 2020
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    The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years

    The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years

    1 2020 HD

    This one-hour special documentary celebrates 25 star-studded years of the National Television Awards, with contributions from stars including Graham...

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  • 2000
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    County Kilburn

    County Kilburn

    1 2000 HD

    Along the kilometre stretch of Kilburn High road in London, there are twenty-eight pubs: that's one every thirty-six metres. Populated predominantly...

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  • 2018
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    The London Studios: Home of the Stars

    The London Studios: Home of the Stars

    1 2018 HD

    The end of an era as the studios where ITV filmed its many shows for 45 years closes its doors for the last time.

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  • 1994
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    Fairest of Them All

    Fairest of Them All

    1 1994 HD

    Animated short set in the dressing room of several drag artists.

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  • 2016
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    Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales

    Paul O'Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales

    1 2016 HD

    Paul O'Grady travels to Germany into the world of his fairy tale heroes, the Brothers Grimm, exploring its landscapes, picture book castles and...

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  • 1994
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    Filth!

    Filth!

    1 1994 HD

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  • 1996
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    An Evening with Lily Savage

    An Evening with Lily Savage

    1 1996 HD

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  • 1988
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    This Morning

    This Morning

    5.7 1988 HD

    This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and...

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  • 2002
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    Harry Hill's TV Burp

    Harry Hill's TV Burp

    6.318 2002 HD

    The big-collared comic gives his own spin on TV clips from recent programmes, plus contributions from a set of regular characters

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  • 2001
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    Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

    Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

    5.9 2001 HD

    Jonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band.

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  • 1984
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    The Bill

    The Bill

    6.6 1984 HD

    The daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the streets of London. From bomb threats to armed robbery and...

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  • 2002
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    Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

    Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

    5.9 2002 HD

    A gameshow hosted by Ant and Dec filled with stunts, sketches, and special guest appearances.

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  • 2003
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    Eyes Down

    Eyes Down

    5.8 2003 HD

    Eyes Down is a comedy starring Paul O'Grady as Ray Temple, the manager of a bingo hall in Liverpool, England called The Rio, although the series was...

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  • 2004
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    The Paul O'Grady Show

    The Paul O'Grady Show

    4.6 2004 HD

    The Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada...

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  • 2014
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    Good Morning Britain

    Good Morning Britain

    4.7 2014 HD

    The latest news, sport, and weather from the UK in this daily breakfast show.

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  • 2007
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    The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle

    The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle

    6 2007 HD

    Revolving around the life of Vivienne Vyle, a daytime TV presenter/agony aunt in the mold of Trisha, the show focuses on not only the problems of her...

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  • 1979
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    Blankety Blank

    Blankety Blank

    4.6 1979 HD

    Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18...

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  • 2000
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    Lily Live!

    Lily Live!

    1 2000 HD

    Lily Live! is a flamboyant live/scripted comedy show which was made by Carlton Television, which was broadcast for two series on ITV in 2000 and 2001...

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  • 2008
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    Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong

    Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong

    4 2008 HD

    Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong was an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in...

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  • 2003
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    Celebrity Mastermind

    Celebrity Mastermind

    6 2003 HD

    Celebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is a spin-off of the long-running quiz show Mastermind,...

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  • 1991
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    Chimera

    Chimera

    6 1991 HD

    A journalist investigates the death of his girlfriend at a fertility clinic where she worked and uncovers a plot to create a new breed of human based...

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  • 1995
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    The Ant & Dec Show

    The Ant & Dec Show

    1 1995 HD

    Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly present an entertainment variety show with music, comedy and audience participation.

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  • 2009
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    Let's Dance for Comic Relief

    Let's Dance for Comic Relief

    6.7 2009 HD

    Celebrities perform famous dance routines in front of a panel of judges to raise money for the Comic Relief appeal, with viewers voting for their...

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  • 2009
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    Kate Garraway's Life Stories

    Kate Garraway's Life Stories

    5.9 2009 HD

    Celebrities open up to Kate Garraway in intimate and moving interviews.

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  • 2002
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    Outtake TV

    Outtake TV

    1 2002 HD

    Outtake TV is a blooper show originally hosted by Paul O'Grady from 2002 to 2003, then, by Anne Robinson from 2004 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2011,...

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  • 1997
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    The Lily Savage Show

    The Lily Savage Show

    1 1997 HD

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  • 2003
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    Celebrity Driving School

    Celebrity Driving School

    1 2003 HD

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  • 2009
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    Death In Venice

    Death In Venice

    1 2009 HD

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  • 2005
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    Doctor Who

    Doctor Who

    7.5 2005 HD

    The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a...

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  • 2010
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    Coronation Street - 50 Years, 50 Moments

    Coronation Street - 50 Years, 50 Moments

    1 2010 HD

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  • 2021
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    Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line Up

    Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line Up

    7 2021 HD

    Paul and members of the studio audience ask celebrity guests intriguing questions, scenarios and dilemmas. The guests then line-up in order of how...

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  • 2021
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    The Madame Blanc Mysteries

    The Madame Blanc Mysteries

    7 2021 HD

    Jean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when he suddenly dies and leaves her nearly penniless,...

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  • 2012
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    Playhouse Presents

    Playhouse Presents

    6 2012 HD

    Playhouse Presents is a series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky...

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  • 2007
    imgS32 E12

    The Graham Norton Show

    The Graham Norton Show

    7.2 2007 HD

    Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun...

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  • 1978
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    An Audience with...

    An Audience with...

    5.3 1978 HD

    An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian,...

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  • 2014
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    Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans

    Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans

    7 2014 HD

    Paul O'Grady visits Zambia and South Africa on the trail of young animals which have been orphaned in the wild, either through the actions of...

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  • 1992
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    The Big Breakfast

    The Big Breakfast

    6.6 1992 HD

    The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29...

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  • 2004
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    Parkinson

    Parkinson

    1 2004 HD

    Michael Parkinson's third and final Interview show, running from 2002

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  • 1988
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    Smash Hits Poll Winners Party

    Smash Hits Poll Winners Party

    1 1988 HD

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  • 1987
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    The New Statesman

    The New Statesman

    7.511 1987 HD

    The New Statesman is a British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time.

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  • 2024
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    Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure

    Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure

    8 2024 HD

    Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure is a two-part series following Paul as he travels through Thailand and Laos to celebrate the...

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  • 2018
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    Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India

    Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India

    8 2018 HD

    Paul O'Grady travels to India to follow the work of a rescue charity caring for dogs in need.

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  • 2012
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    For the Love of Dogs

    For the Love of Dogs

    9.2 2012 HD

    Alison Hammond carries on Paul O'Grady's incredible legacy, following the ups & downs of life at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

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  • 2011
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    Perspectives

    Perspectives

    1 2011 HD

    Powerful stories and a unique insight into the arts from a range of well-known figures.

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  • 2020
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    Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape

    Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape

    1 2020 HD

    In this brand new six-part ITV series, presenter Paul O’Grady shares the beautiful sights, stories and secrets of his beloved adopted home...

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  • 1998
    imgS11 E10

    Parkinson

    Parkinson

    1 1998 HD

    Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.

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  • 1998
    imgS11 E10

    Parkinson

    Parkinson

    1 1998 HD

    Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.

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  • 1964
    imgS43 E31

    Top of the Pops

    Top of the Pops

    6.5 1964 HD

    The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

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  • 1999
    imgS23 E1

    The British Soap Awards

    The British Soap Awards

    1 1999 HD

    The British Soap Awards are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is...

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  • 1993
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    Viva Cabaret

    Viva Cabaret

    1 1993 HD

    Viva Cabaret is a late night comedy variety television show that aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 14 April 1993 to 24 June 1994. The...

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  • 1970
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    Viva Cabaret

    Viva Cabaret

    7 1970 HD

    Paul and members of the studio audience ask celebrity guests intriguing questions, scenarios and dilemmas. The guests then line-up in order of how...

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