EXCLUSIVE Paul O’Grady planned his funeral years before his death – joking he’d be buried in a glass coffin with Jools Holland playing piano, Sir Tom Jones and Mica Paris singing – and said he ‘wanted to be remembered as someone who tried to help animals’
Paul O’Grady planned his own funeral in extraordinary detail years before his death and said he would ‘like to be remembered as someone who tried to help animals’ – not a comedian or broadcaster, MailOnline can exclusively reveal today.
The star, who died suddenly last week aged 67, said in 2017 that his friend Jools Holland had already agreed to play piano at the service and he hoped to persuade Sir Tom Jones and Mica Paris to sing.
In poignant and exclusive audio that emerged today, O’Grady said in his typical acerbic style: ‘They are all going to be weeping at my funeral. I want to make sure of it. None of this jolly nonsense’, adding jokingly that he expected mourners to wear ‘jet black’.
Paul was talking to journalist Rob McGibbon in November 2017 for his Daily Mail column called The Definite Article. The popular Q&A appeared each week in Weekend magazine and always featured the question to a celebrity: ‘The order of service at your funeral…’ and the final question was always ‘The way you want to be remembered’.
Poignantly he said that he would only want to be celebrated for being kind to animals, not for anything he achieved in comedy or showbusiness, adding: ‘It would just be nice to be remembered’. He said his philosophy for life was: ‘Get on with it – no matter what life chucks at you. Deal with it and get on with it. There’s no time to mess around’.
Paul O’Grady spoke in detail to journalist Rob McGibbon about plans for his funeral and death in 2017
The star said that Jools Holland had already agreed to play at the service. He said he hoped Sir Tom Jones would sing
Mr O’Grady revealed that he wanted it to be held in a small, ‘ancient’ church on the Romney Marshes in Kent – like St Thomas Becket Church in Fairfield – famously the setting for the opening scene in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. But he joked that he would be laid to rest in a glass coffin in the middle of a forest, guarded by Snow White’s seven dwarfs.
Mica Paris would also perform at his funeral, Mr O’Grady said
McGibbon has published the audio of that section of the interview on his You Tube Channel called Rob McGibbon Talks To…
Admitting he had put a lot of thought into it, given he had survived heart attacks in 2002, 2006 and 2014, Paul O’Grady said: ‘A Salvation Army band would be processing through the streets playing Nearer My God to Thee’, calling the Christian charity ‘lovely people’.
He said mourners ‘weeping like widows’ in ‘jet black’ would enter the church to be greeted by his friend Jools Holland playing for Sir Tom Jones who would be ‘belting out’ St James’ Infirmary – the blues song made most famous by Louis Armstrong.
‘Jools has already said he is up for it’, O’Grady said – but he did not say if Welsh star Sir Tom Jones had also agreed.
He went on: ‘It would be in one of the ancient churches in the Romney Marshes in Kent’.
Describing the service he said: ‘Mica Paris would stand up and sing something by Mahalia Jackson. They both have incredible voices’.
Describing Mahalia Jackson, an American gospel singer considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, Paul said that her music is perfect for his funeral.
‘She has a magnificent voice, as has Mica Paris. I love her voice. She would really give it what for. She’s a wonderful voice’.
Paul O’Grady said he would like to be remembered for his work to care for animals – not his career in comedy or broadcasting
St. Thomas Becket church on the Romney Marshes, the Dickensian setting Paul O’Grady said he wanted for his funeral
As the service comes to a close he imagined: ‘To liven things up a bit a New Orleans jazz band will play us all out’.
Journalist Rob McGibbon asked where his final resting place would be, and in typical O’Grady style he replied with a laugh: ‘In a glass coffin in a forest surrounded by the seven dwarfs, who would all be in a permanent vigil’.
Mr McGibbon then asked the star how he’d like to remembered.
He replied: ‘It would be nice if you were remembered. I would like to be remembered as someone who tried to help animals. Just someone who tried to make an effort to help animals’.
He said he was ‘not particularly’ worried about being remembered for his career in comedy, TV or radio. ‘I want to be truthful’, the comedian replied.
Mr McGibbon told MailOnline today: ‘I did 370 interviews for The Definite Article and I have always remembered the one with Paul fondly because he was so sincere and had put so much thought into his answers before we spoke. It was important to him that the piece really reflected who he was.
‘It had taken me six years to finally get him to do the interview, but it was worth the wait. I enjoyed talking to him because he was such an engaging, warm man, with a big heart. And he was great fun. We had a laugh – even when we were talking about his funeral!
“I am not surprised that so many people have been deeply moved by his death. He was a true original – a one off.”
On Saturday Paul O’Grady’s best friend Amanda Mealing spoke of the late star’s dying wish for his funeral.
The entertainer died at the age of 67 this week, with his husband Andre Portasio announcing the sad news on Wednesday.
Actress Amanda, 55, told the Mirror: ‘He just told us to have a good time. He’d hate it if everyone was morose.
Couple: Paul’s husband Andre Portasio, 41, recently shared the final photo of the couple together, taken during what would be their last holiday in January
Celebration of life: Actress Amanda, 55, has now spoken out about Paul’s dying with for those attending his funeral, insisting he would want people to enjoy themselves (pictured in 2005)
‘Whatever happens, Paul’s funeral will be a celebration of his life and it will be full of laughter.
‘He just told us to have a good time – he’d hate it if everyone was mawkish and morose. He would just say, “I don’t care, I won’t be here! Do whatever you want”.’
Amanda went on to say there may be two funerals – a private one and another in ‘a very grand place’ for people outside Paul’s family to attend.
She said there are ongoing discussions but she expects people to fly in from all over the world to attend the larger ceremony.
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