Paul O’Grady’s multi-million pound fortune revealed as donations to star’s beloved Battersea Dogs & Cats Home expected to surge past £100,000 within hours
- Paul O’Grady’s multi-million pound fortune was revealed on Friday
- It came as his grieving husband Andre Portasio shared the final photo of them
- Donations Paul’s beloved Battersea Dogs & Cats Home reached £90,000 Friday
Paul O’Grady’s multi-million pound fortune was revealed on Friday after his grieving husband Andre Portasio shared the final photo of the couple together.
The TV personality passed away ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ on Tuesday at the age of 67, with his partner announcing the news just before 3am.
According to new reports, Paul had racked up a fortune worth £8.6million over his career, with his husband of six years Andre expected to be the main benefactor.
In the last 12 months until May last year the broadcaster made more than £1.8million, as reported by The Sun.
It comes as donations to the star’s beloved Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, which featured on his television show Paul O’Grady: For The Love of Dogs, reached £90,000 on Friday and are expected to surge past £100,000 this weekend.
Upsetting: Paul O’Grady’s multi-million pound fortune was revealed on Friday with the broadcaster racking up a fortune worth £8.6million
Final holiday: It comes after his grieving husband Andre Portasio shared the final photo of the couple together, he is expected to be the main benefactor (pictured together in January)
Details of Paul’s fortune are recorded in documents on Companies House, filed for his company Buster Productions Limited, which he names after his dog, who died in 2009.
A TV insider told the publication: ‘The huge fortune he’d accrued was a reflection of how popular and successful he was.
‘The fact he was earning more money than ever at a time in life when many people would be winding down shows what a grafter he remained.’
It comes as bosses of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home said they were ‘overwhelmed and touched’ following a surge in public donations after Paul’s death.
Chief Executive Paul Laurie told the Mirror they had been inundated with letters and messages of support.
The home featured on Paul’s television show Paul O’Grady: For The Love of Dogs and a ‘tribute fund’ was set up after his death.
It had reached £90,000 on Friday and was expected to surpass £100,000 over the weekend.
The 11th and final series of the programme will air posthumously in April, with Paul telling the newspaper: ‘We will be looking to find a suitably fitting way to remember the profound impact Paul had at Battersea and the rescue animal sector – something that will support the animals Paul loved so much, and that would make him proud.’
Flooding in: It comes as bosses of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home said they were ‘overwhelmed and touched’ following a surge in public donations(Paul pictured at Battersea)
Upset: Earlier in the day, Andre thanked fans and loved ones for their outpouring of support this week after the death of the star
Tribute: Paul’s death was announced by his partner Andre, who he married in 2017 (the couple are pictured here at the Royal Opera House in London in 2018)
Earlier in the day, Andre thanked fans and loved ones for their outpouring of support this week after the death of the star.
Andre shared a new post on Instagram on Thursday evening, two days after the beloved TV star died at the age of 67.
Paul’s husband, 41, shared the final photo of the couple together, taken during what would be their last holiday in January.
‘In time I hope to write to everyone individually and thank you for all posts, messages, phone calls, emails, cards and flowers of support,’ Andre told fans.
‘I much appreciate you all taking the time to reach out. I’m so very touched and I’m sure Paul would be too!
‘Browsing for a picture I found the last picture we ever took together. Unbeknownst to us back in January this would be our last ever holiday together.’
Tributes poured in for the legendary presenter and radio star after his partner shared that he had passed away ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ on Tuesday night.
Portasio said: ‘It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.
‘We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
‘He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.’
‘I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.’
O’Grady and Portasio were married during a low-key wedding ceremony in 2017 .
O’Grady had been set to return to the airwaves next month to host a one-off Easter Sunday radio show on Boom Radio.
And he was performing right until the end – taking to the stage as Ms Hannigan in Annie at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
He became a household name in the early noughties , known for his wit and love of animals, and hosted a string of television programmes including his self-titled daytime chat show, The Paul O’Grady Show, which began airing in 2004.
He also took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, to host the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017. And he fronted Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s award-winning For The Love Of Dogs.
The father-of-one’s cause of death wasn’t immediately known, but he had previously spoken of surviving heart attacks in 2002, 2006 and 2014, and also kidney failure . He also had a debiltating Covid battle that left him unable to work for two months.
O’Grady married Portuguese lesbian barmaid Teresa Fernandes in 1977 to stop her deportation. They divorced in 2005 and he married ex-ballerina Mr Portasio in 2017.
Donations can be made at www.tributefund.battersea.org.uk/In-Memory/PaulOGrady
Paul O’Grady in his Lily Savage persona performing as the Wicked Queen in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
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