The Paul O'Grady Show
Encyclopedia
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead
-born comedian Paul O'Grady
. The format was originally devised by Granada Television
and was broadcast on ITV
before moving to Channel 4
. The programme was a teatime chat show that consists of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions.
. Each episode usually followed the same format: O'Grady was introduced, and walked to his desk with one of his pet dogs; Buster (a Shih Tzu/Bichon Frise cross), or Olga (a Cairn Terrier). O'Grady then read out viewers' letters, sometimes with disgust at the things viewers have sent (which included vibrating soap, a viewer's dead goldfish wrapped in tissue, knitting poo, and children's letters asking if Paul wears a wig or dentures).
The remainder of the programme usually consisted of interviews with two celebrity guests. Some episodes ended with a performance by the "Paul O'Grady Players". Children were also featured in segments of the show such as reviewing toys, games and films, or demonstrating skills (such as speed cup stacking).
The show was originally broadcast live, but was later filmed at The London Studios
.
commissioned The Paul O'Grady Show following O'Grady's appearance as a guest presenter for the (somewhat similar formatted) lunch-time entertainment show Today with Des and Mel
(now defunct). ITV management were so impressed by his initial standing in—a last minute replacement for Des O'Connor
—that he was brought back several more times to stand in for O'Connor, and subsequently O'Grady was given his own show (O'Grady also became good friends with co-presenter Melanie Sykes
, who has since stood in for him on O'Grady's own show on occasion).
The series began broadcasting on ITV
in October 2004, and had been greeted by ITV as the saviour of its 5–6 pm slot. The broadcaster previously had trouble filling the slot with a popular programme, with failed attempts including two daytime soap operas: Night and Day and Crossroads (the latter a revival of the soap which had been cancelled in 1988).
Guess the Tune (known as The Organ Game on the Channel 4 edition), a phone-in-competition where O'Grady plays tunes on his organ and the contestant has to guess them correctly to win up to £2000, became a popular feature of the programme. The tune that O'Grady played leading into the game was a truncated version of "Sing As We Go
", by Gracie Fields
. Also a stalwart of the show was O'Grady's Shih Tzu
/bichon frise
cross dog, Buster, who appeared for a full five minutes at the start of each programme since the ITV incarnation of the show.
On 10 January 2006, in a shock announcement, O'Grady said that he had decided to leave ITV for Channel 4
, following a dispute between O'Grady and Granada Television
(who made The Paul O'Grady Show for ITV) after Granada 'forgot' to renew O'Grady's ITV contract. O'Grady was believed to have left ITV not only due to his contract renewal issues nor his salary, but rather he wanted more creative control over the show (Granada had promptly refused when the show was under their production). His own television production company, Olga TV
(named after one of his pet dogs), subsequently took over production of the programme.
ITV informed O'Grady that they were unhappy with his move to Channel 4, and he became entrenched in an ongoing dispute with the broadcaster regarding the use of the same set design, props, and names.
The programme was renamed The New Paul O'Grady Show and began airing on Channel 4 in March 2006, in the same 5:00–6:00 pm early evening slot, alternating in this slot every three months or so with Richard & Judy
. When this new series started on Channel 4, ITV decided to air repeats of the original show in the same slot (this is partly why the Channel 4 show adopted the name The New Paul O'Grady Show). However, ITV quickly abandoned this after these repeats attracted just less than a million viewers (and was decreasing), while the new Channel 4 show was gaining over 3 million viewers.
The Paul O'Grady Show was broadcast live on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 5:00 pm. Thursday's and Friday's episode are pre-recorded on the Tuesday and Wednesday of that week, respectively, at 12:30 pm (the same set-up occurred when the programme was under Granada's production).
the following lunchtime). The new show was recorded at the BBC Television Centre
instead of the original home, The London Studios
, due to an apparent dispute with ITV.
Buster did not appear for the first two weeks due to a serious eye infection, so O'Grady's other pet dog Olga took his place instead. On 16 January 2007, viewers noticed that instead of the scheduled live show, a repeat show was aired instead. This was due to O'Grady pulling out of the show at the last minute due to illness, later discovered as a sickness bug. O'Grady returned live the next day.
from BBC Television Centre
.
Following news of premium rate phone in scandals, The Organ Game was suspended (as it relied on people calling in to enter the game). On the first episode of the new series (broadcast on 17 September 2007), Paul went over to play The Organ Game near the end of the show to find it tied up and him unable to use it. He invited viewers to telephone or e-mail Channel 4 bosses to allow him to play the phone-in game. On 22 October 2007, O'Grady announced on his show that The Organ Game would be returning; however there were only four special organ games leading up to Christmas, primarily for people who deserve the cash prize being offered (the phone line entries which used to be on the show have remained suspended). On 19 November 2007, the first of the four special Organ Games aired.
returned for its last series. The studio set was given a slight revamp with added studio lights on the floor and walls.
On Tuesday, 15 April 2008, Melanie Sykes
hosted the show, although it was not announced that she would be hosting. Sykes informed the audience that O'Grady was ill with the flu, and as such was unable to present. Sykes hosted that week's shows before O'Grady returned on Monday 21 April. However, O'Grady hadn't fully recovered, and Sykes had to be called in to do the following show on Tuesday. It was announced that Lorraine Kelly
would host Wednesday's show, Brian Conley
would host Thursday's show, and Shane Richie
would host Friday's show. O'Grady finally returned on 28 April 2008.
On Friday 18 December 2009, O'Grady presented his final ever show with an array of special guests Beverley Callard
and William Roache
OBE and surprise guests including Honor Blackman
, Natalie Cassidy
, JLS
, Scott Maslen
, Joe McFadden, Linda Thorson
, Melanie Sykes
, Catherine Tate
(appearing as Joannie "Nan" Taylor) and Kate Thornton
. Plus, other celebrities including Kim Cattrall
, Mark Linn-Baker
, Whoopi Goldberg
, Jonas Brothers
, Alan Menken
, Stephen Collins and Enrique Iglesias
. O'Grady's own daughter, her partner and his grandchildren made special good luck VTs to say goodbye to O'Grady. All of O'Grady's best bits were also shown, as was the viewers' favourite ever clip of the show.
insisted O'Grady should take a week off from presenting the show. His first break occurred from 23 to 27 October 2006 and guest presenters hosted the programme a day each. Since then, there have been three more scheduled guest-hosted weeks and in total there have been 27 different celebrity guest hosts.
In April 2008, there were two unscheduled guest-hosted weeks. O'Grady hosted the Monday show during these two weeks, but was taken ill after contracting a flu virus for the remainder of the weeks. Melanie Sykes
guest-hosted five of the eight remaining shows, having previously hosted the show three times. In total she has been stand-in host 7 times.
On 15 October 2009, O'Grady had to go to the dentist for some dental work with Joe Pasquale
standing in for him.
2006
2007
2008
2009
. Roughly 15 guest stars appeared in the panto. There was always one narrator, which told the story throughout the panto. This had been Antony Cotton
, Dawn French, Kate Thornton
, Sandi Toksvig
and Stephen Fry
. The panto run roughly for the whole show, with usually five minutes left at the end when O'Grady and the stars answered the questions that have been e-mailed in by the viewers. However, in the 2006 panto, Peter Pan, the panto only ran for roughly 40 minutes, ending around 5.40 pm. After this, O'Grady interviewed Dawn French, who was the narrator, as he would do on a normal show. There was then, as usual, the organ game and O'Grady and all the stars then answered e-mails sent in by the viewers. The panto was always on the last Wednesday before Christmas, this means that it was always broadcast live. The pantos were:
Jo Brand
is the only celebrity who appeared in the panto every year. O'Grady thanked Brand for her appearance in every annual panto on the show after the fifth and final panto on 14 December 2009.
The show regularly features animals other than O'Grady's pet dogs, such as a homeless animal feature, where animal rescue shelters bring in homeless pets in order to find them homes.
O'Grady currently has three pet dogs; Olga, who is a black Cairn Terrier and was adopted from the homeless animals feature on the show. Louie (short for Lucifer), and Bullseye who was also recently adopted from the show.
Buster, whom had worked beside O'Grady for 15 years, featured in his last ever show on 11 November 2009, and officially retired after 15 years of working with Paul. Buster was put to sleep on 19 November 2009, after suffering from cancer. This was announced on 23 November 2009 by O'Grady on the show. O'Grady decided that putting him to sleep was the kindest approach "It was the kindest thing to do. Keeping him would be selfish."
Buster was popular on the show, and a limited edition Nodding Buster toy was produced and given out as a consolation prize, and thereafter as a prize from the tombola draw. In November 2008, Paul revealed that a Nodding Olga toy was to be produced. O'Grady alluded that Bullseye would be taking over from Buster once fully trained.
In total, O'Grady has 28 pets, which he mentioned on his show when responding to a viewer's question.
, where Tate's character Joannie "Nan" Taylor made an appearance. Originally she acted very sweet, but later revealed her true colours. When O'Grady mentioned that they had replaced Joannie's old chair with a new one and placed it in her flat, she became enraged at them for intruding her flat. Nan started swearing and walked off the set, much to the disgust of O'Grady.
A short excerpt is seen in the Doctor Who
episode "The Stolen Earth
" of O'Grady ranting to the audience of how many planets appeared above the sky (an allusion to the events in the episode). Ianto Jones
is seen in the Torchwood Hub
watching the show, contradicting the earlier setting of the episode which takes place on a Saturday (the show is Monday-Friday only).
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
-born comedian Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady
Paul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
. The format was originally devised by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
and was broadcast on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
before moving to Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. The programme was a teatime chat show that consists of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions.
Show outline
The show ran weekdays, Monday to Friday, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and has its last run on Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. Each episode usually followed the same format: O'Grady was introduced, and walked to his desk with one of his pet dogs; Buster (a Shih Tzu/Bichon Frise cross), or Olga (a Cairn Terrier). O'Grady then read out viewers' letters, sometimes with disgust at the things viewers have sent (which included vibrating soap, a viewer's dead goldfish wrapped in tissue, knitting poo, and children's letters asking if Paul wears a wig or dentures).
The remainder of the programme usually consisted of interviews with two celebrity guests. Some episodes ended with a performance by the "Paul O'Grady Players". Children were also featured in segments of the show such as reviewing toys, games and films, or demonstrating skills (such as speed cup stacking).
The show was originally broadcast live, but was later filmed at The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
.
2004–05: First incarnation
ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
commissioned The Paul O'Grady Show following O'Grady's appearance as a guest presenter for the (somewhat similar formatted) lunch-time entertainment show Today with Des and Mel
Today with Des and Mel
Today with Des and Mel was a British television series hosted by Des O'Connor and Melanie Sykes. The show featured celebrity guests, phone-in competitions and chat between the hosts. It was produced by Carlton Television, at The London Studios...
(now defunct). ITV management were so impressed by his initial standing in—a last minute replacement for Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor, CBE is an English comedian and singer. A former talkshow host, he was the presenter of the long-running Channel 4 gameshow Countdown for two years...
—that he was brought back several more times to stand in for O'Connor, and subsequently O'Grady was given his own show (O'Grady also became good friends with co-presenter Melanie Sykes
Melanie Sykes
Melanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
, who has since stood in for him on O'Grady's own show on occasion).
The series began broadcasting on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in October 2004, and had been greeted by ITV as the saviour of its 5–6 pm slot. The broadcaster previously had trouble filling the slot with a popular programme, with failed attempts including two daytime soap operas: Night and Day and Crossroads (the latter a revival of the soap which had been cancelled in 1988).
Guess the Tune (known as The Organ Game on the Channel 4 edition), a phone-in-competition where O'Grady plays tunes on his organ and the contestant has to guess them correctly to win up to £2000, became a popular feature of the programme. The tune that O'Grady played leading into the game was a truncated version of "Sing As We Go
Sing as We Go
Sing As We Go is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley; it was directed by Basil Dean....
", by Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
. Also a stalwart of the show was O'Grady's Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog weighing with long silky hair. The breed originated in China and is among the earliest breeds. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969...
/bichon frise
Bichon Frisé
A Bichon Frise , is a small breed of dog of the Bichon type. They are popular pets, similar in appearance to, but larger than, the Maltese.-Etymology and History:...
cross dog, Buster, who appeared for a full five minutes at the start of each programme since the ITV incarnation of the show.
2006–09: Second incarnation
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, following a dispute between O'Grady and Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
(who made The Paul O'Grady Show for ITV) after Granada 'forgot' to renew O'Grady's ITV contract. O'Grady was believed to have left ITV not only due to his contract renewal issues nor his salary, but rather he wanted more creative control over the show (Granada had promptly refused when the show was under their production). His own television production company, Olga TV
Olga TV
Olga TV is a British independent television production company set up by the entertainer and talk show host, Paul O'Grady.It is named after O'Grady's pet dog, Olga. The company produces The Paul O'Grady Show on Channel 4, following O'Grady's move from ITV...
(named after one of his pet dogs), subsequently took over production of the programme.
ITV informed O'Grady that they were unhappy with his move to Channel 4, and he became entrenched in an ongoing dispute with the broadcaster regarding the use of the same set design, props, and names.
The programme was renamed The New Paul O'Grady Show and began airing on Channel 4 in March 2006, in the same 5:00–6:00 pm early evening slot, alternating in this slot every three months or so with Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
. When this new series started on Channel 4, ITV decided to air repeats of the original show in the same slot (this is partly why the Channel 4 show adopted the name The New Paul O'Grady Show). However, ITV quickly abandoned this after these repeats attracted just less than a million viewers (and was decreasing), while the new Channel 4 show was gaining over 3 million viewers.
The Paul O'Grady Show was broadcast live on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 5:00 pm. Thursday's and Friday's episode are pre-recorded on the Tuesday and Wednesday of that week, respectively, at 12:30 pm (the same set-up occurred when the programme was under Granada's production).
Series 1
The first Channel 4 series of The New Paul O'Grady Show began airing on 27 March 2006 and ran until 16 June 2006 (repeats of the show were broadcast on More4More4
More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...
the following lunchtime). The new show was recorded at the BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
instead of the original home, The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
, due to an apparent dispute with ITV.
Series 2
The second series was planned to start on 4 September 2006, but was pushed back to 25 September due to O'Grady suffering a second heart attack. The second series ran until 26 January 2007.Buster did not appear for the first two weeks due to a serious eye infection, so O'Grady's other pet dog Olga took his place instead. On 16 January 2007, viewers noticed that instead of the scheduled live show, a repeat show was aired instead. This was due to O'Grady pulling out of the show at the last minute due to illness, later discovered as a sickness bug. O'Grady returned live the next day.
Series 3
The show returned for the seventh series (the third on Channel 4) on 17 September 2007, running until December of that year. The New from the show title was dropped from this series and the show went back to its original ITV title. The show's opening titles were retinted red, and subsequently the set backdrop was made red. The programme returned to The London StudiosThe London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
from BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
.
Following news of premium rate phone in scandals, The Organ Game was suspended (as it relied on people calling in to enter the game). On the first episode of the new series (broadcast on 17 September 2007), Paul went over to play The Organ Game near the end of the show to find it tied up and him unable to use it. He invited viewers to telephone or e-mail Channel 4 bosses to allow him to play the phone-in game. On 22 October 2007, O'Grady announced on his show that The Organ Game would be returning; however there were only four special organ games leading up to Christmas, primarily for people who deserve the cash prize being offered (the phone line entries which used to be on the show have remained suspended). On 19 November 2007, the first of the four special Organ Games aired.
Series 4
The fourth series began on 17 March 2008. The new series ran throughout the spring until 16 June 2008, at which point Richard & JudyRichard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
returned for its last series. The studio set was given a slight revamp with added studio lights on the floor and walls.
On Tuesday, 15 April 2008, Melanie Sykes
Melanie Sykes
Melanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
hosted the show, although it was not announced that she would be hosting. Sykes informed the audience that O'Grady was ill with the flu, and as such was unable to present. Sykes hosted that week's shows before O'Grady returned on Monday 21 April. However, O'Grady hadn't fully recovered, and Sykes had to be called in to do the following show on Tuesday. It was announced that Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
would host Wednesday's show, Brian Conley
Brian Conley
Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
would host Thursday's show, and Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
would host Friday's show. O'Grady finally returned on 28 April 2008.
Series 5
The new series returned on Monday 22 September 2008 for a new series which ended on Friday 19 December 2008. Brand new titles were introduced as well as a slight revamp to the set.Series 6
Series 6 of the show began on Channel 4 on 23 February 2009 and concluded its run on Friday 22 May 2009.Series 7
Series 7 of the show began on Channel 4 on 21 September 2009. The series concluded on 18 December 2009 and was the last to air on Channel 4. During this series, it was announced that the popular pet, Buster, had retired, and on 23 November it was announced that Buster had died aged fourteen on 19 November 2009. A spokesman for the comedian confirmed the news by telling The Mirror that O'Grady is "absolutely gutted".On Friday 18 December 2009, O'Grady presented his final ever show with an array of special guests Beverley Callard
Beverley Callard
Beverley Jane McEwan is an English actress, best known for her role as Liz McDonald in ITV's Coronation Street, and Flo Henshaw in BBC Three's Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.-Early life:Beverley Jane Moxon was born in Leeds on 28 March 1957 to Clive and Mavis Moxon...
and William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
OBE and surprise guests including Honor Blackman
Honor Blackman
Honor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:...
, Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Ann Cassidy is a British actress, most commonly known for appearing in the television soap EastEnders where she played Sonia Jackson for many years. She has also appeared in the BBC Two sitcom Psychoville and was a contestant on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing.-Career:As a...
, JLS
JLS
- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
, Scott Maslen
Scott Maslen
Scott Alexander Maslen is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill and now Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders.-Early and personal life:...
, Joe McFadden, Linda Thorson
Linda Thorson
Linda Thorson is a Canadian actress, most famous for her work as Tara King in The Avengers.-Personal life:...
, Melanie Sykes
Melanie Sykes
Melanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
, Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
(appearing as Joannie "Nan" Taylor) and Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton is an English journalist and television presenter. Early in her career, she was notable for her articles at the Daily Mirror and for her role as editor of Smash Hits magazine...
. Plus, other celebrities including Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
, Mark Linn-Baker
Mark Linn-Baker
Mark Linn-Baker is an American actor and director famous for his role as Larry Appleton on the television sitcom Perfect Strangers.-Early life and career:...
, Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, Jonas Brothers
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
, Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
, Stephen Collins and Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
. O'Grady's own daughter, her partner and his grandchildren made special good luck VTs to say goodbye to O'Grady. All of O'Grady's best bits were also shown, as was the viewers' favourite ever clip of the show.
Stand-in hosts
While recovering from his heart attack, Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
insisted O'Grady should take a week off from presenting the show. His first break occurred from 23 to 27 October 2006 and guest presenters hosted the programme a day each. Since then, there have been three more scheduled guest-hosted weeks and in total there have been 27 different celebrity guest hosts.
In April 2008, there were two unscheduled guest-hosted weeks. O'Grady hosted the Monday show during these two weeks, but was taken ill after contracting a flu virus for the remainder of the weeks. Melanie Sykes
Melanie Sykes
Melanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
guest-hosted five of the eight remaining shows, having previously hosted the show three times. In total she has been stand-in host 7 times.
On 15 October 2009, O'Grady had to go to the dentist for some dental work with Joe Pasquale
Joe Pasquale
Joseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
standing in for him.
2006
- 23 October 2006: Vernon KayVernon KayVernon Charles Kay is a British television presenter, radio DJ, american footballer and former model. He began television presenting on the BBC children's programme FBi, a spin-off of Fully Booked. Since he has presented various programmes, most notably T4, Beat the Star and All Star Family...
- 24 October 2006: Cilla BlackCilla BlackCilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
- 25 October 2006: Lorraine KellyLorraine KellyLorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
- 26 October 2006: Jesse MetcalfeJesse MetcalfeJesse Eden Metcalfe is an American actor, best known for his role on Desperate Housewives as John Rowland. He is also notable for his portrayal of Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald on the soap opera Passions and his starring role as the title character in the movie John Tucker Must Die.-Early life:Metcalfe...
- 27 October 2006: Alan TitchmarshAlan TitchmarshAlan Fred Titchmarsh, MBE DL is an English gardener, broadcaster and novelist. After working as a professional gardener and a garden journalist, he established himself as a media personality through appearances on gardening programmes...
- 27 November 2006: Judith ChalmersJudith ChalmersJudith Chalmers OBE is an English television presenter who is best known for presenting the travel programme Wish You Were Here...? in the 1970s and 1980s, where she often appeared in a bikini.-Early life and career:...
- 28 November 2006: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 29 November 2006: Patrick McGuinnessPatrick McGuinnessPatrick Joseph "Paddy" McGuinness is an English stand-up comedian, comedy actor, television personality and presenter. Born in Farnworth, Bolton, he is best known for his performances alongside comedian Peter Kay, and as the host of dating programme Take Me Out.-Early life:He attended Mount St....
- 30 November 2006: Lorraine KellyLorraine KellyLorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
- 1 December 2006: Brian ConleyBrian ConleyBrian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
2007
- 7 May 2007: Justin Lee CollinsJustin Lee CollinsJustin Lee Collins, commonly known as JLC, is an award-winning English comedian and television presenter.A Bristolian, he's well known for his strong West Country accent, shaggy appearance and colourful shirts....
- 8 May 2007: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 9 May 2007: Vernon KayVernon KayVernon Charles Kay is a British television presenter, radio DJ, american footballer and former model. He began television presenting on the BBC children's programme FBi, a spin-off of Fully Booked. Since he has presented various programmes, most notably T4, Beat the Star and All Star Family...
- 10 May 2007: Liza TarbuckLiza TarbuckLiza Tarbuck is an English actress and television and radio presenter, and daughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.She trained at the National Youth Theatre and RADA graduating in 1986 alongside Clive Owen, Rebecca Pidgeon and Serena Harragin.-Acting:...
- 11 May 2007: Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
- 5 November 2007: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 6 November 2007: Chris MoylesChris MoylesChristopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
- 7 November 2007: Lorraine KellyLorraine KellyLorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
- 8 November 2007: Michael BubléMichael BubléMichael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
- 9 November 2007: Ross KempRoss KempRoss James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
2008
- 15–18 April 2008: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 22 April 2008: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 23 April 2008: Lorraine KellyLorraine KellyLorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
- 24 April 2008: Brian ConleyBrian ConleyBrian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
- 25 April 2008: Shane RichieShane RichieShane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
- 5–12 May 2008 – No show, replaced by Grand DesignsGrand DesignsGrand Designs is a British television series produced by Talkback Thames and broadcast on Channel 4 which features unusual and often elaborate architectural home-building projects....
Live hosted by Melanie Sykes
- 3 November 2008: Des O'ConnorDes O'ConnorDes O'Connor, CBE is an English comedian and singer. A former talkshow host, he was the presenter of the long-running Channel 4 gameshow Countdown for two years...
and Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s... - 4 November 2008: Melanie BrownMelanie BrownMelanie Janine "Scary Spice" Brown , often better known as Mel B, is an English pop singer-songwriter, actress, author and television presenter...
- 5 November 2008: Joe PasqualeJoe PasqualeJoseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
- 6 November 2008: Ross KempRoss KempRoss James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
- 7 November 2008: Jackie CollinsJackie CollinsJacqueline Jill "Jackie" Collins is an English novelist and former actress. She is the younger sister of actress Joan Collins. She has written 28 novels, all of which have appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list. In total, her books have sold over 400 million copies and have been...
in this show, Paul O'Grady himself was the guest along with Paris Hilton
2009
- 6 April 2009: Dermot O'LearyDermot O'LearyDermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2...
- 7 April 2009: Dawn French
- 8 April 2009: Melanie SykesMelanie SykesMelanie Ann Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian mother. She first came to public attention as the bikini-clad girl in the Boddingtons beer advertisements with the broad "Northern" accent in the mid-1990s...
- 9 April 2009: Joanna PageJoanna PageJoanna Louise Page is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Stacey in the television series, Gavin and Stacey.-Early and personal life:...
- 10 April 2009: Joe PasqualeJoe PasqualeJoseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
- 13 April 2009: Alan CarrAlan CarrAlan Carr is an English comedian and television personality. Born in Weymouth, he was raised in Northampton before moving to Manchester during his early 20's....
- 15 October 2009: Joe PasqualeJoe PasqualeJoseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
- 2 November 2009: Fern BrittonFern BrittonFern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :...
- 3 November 2009: Peter AndrePeter AndréPeter James Andrea , better known by the stage name as Peter Andre, is an English-born Australian musician, singer-songwriter, television personality and businessman. As a recording artist, he has achieving four top 10 UK albums and ten top 10 singles.-Early life:Andre was born at Northwick Park...
- 4 November 2009: Michael BubléMichael BubléMichael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
- 5 November 2009: Jo BrandJo BrandJosephine Grace "Jo" Brand is a BAFTA winning British comedian, writer, and actor.- Early life :Jo Brand was born 23 July 1957 in Wandsworth, London. Her mother was a social worker. Brand is the middle of three children, with two brothers...
- 6 November 2009: Johnny VegasJohnny VegasJohnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
The Paul O'Grady players annual pantomime
Every year, the show had an annual Christmas pantomimePantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
. Roughly 15 guest stars appeared in the panto. There was always one narrator, which told the story throughout the panto. This had been Antony Cotton
Antony Cotton
Antony Cotton is an English actor and singer best known for his roles in Coronation Street and the original UK version of Queer as Folk.-Early and personal life:...
, Dawn French, Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton is an English journalist and television presenter. Early in her career, she was notable for her articles at the Daily Mirror and for her role as editor of Smash Hits magazine...
, Sandi Toksvig
Sandi Toksvig
Sandra Brigitte “Sandi” Toksvig is a Danish comedian, author and presenter on British radio and television.-Career:...
and Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
. The panto run roughly for the whole show, with usually five minutes left at the end when O'Grady and the stars answered the questions that have been e-mailed in by the viewers. However, in the 2006 panto, Peter Pan, the panto only ran for roughly 40 minutes, ending around 5.40 pm. After this, O'Grady interviewed Dawn French, who was the narrator, as he would do on a normal show. There was then, as usual, the organ game and O'Grady and all the stars then answered e-mails sent in by the viewers. The panto was always on the last Wednesday before Christmas, this means that it was always broadcast live. The pantos were:
- 2005 : The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (adaptations)The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, which has been adapted into several different works, the most famous being the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland...
- 2006 : Peter PanPeter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
- 2007 : CinderellaCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
- 2008 : PinocchioPinocchioThe Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
- 2009 : Sleeping BeautySleeping BeautySleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...
(broadcast on Monday 14 December instead of Wednesday 16)
Jo Brand
Jo Brand
Josephine Grace "Jo" Brand is a BAFTA winning British comedian, writer, and actor.- Early life :Jo Brand was born 23 July 1957 in Wandsworth, London. Her mother was a social worker. Brand is the middle of three children, with two brothers...
is the only celebrity who appeared in the panto every year. O'Grady thanked Brand for her appearance in every annual panto on the show after the fifth and final panto on 14 December 2009.
Animals
O'Grady's use of animals has often been the target of criticism, citing it cruel to expose his pet dogs (in particular Buster) to harsh studio lighting for up to 55 minutes per day. However, his dogs only usually appear in the first part of the show for around 7–8 minutes.The show regularly features animals other than O'Grady's pet dogs, such as a homeless animal feature, where animal rescue shelters bring in homeless pets in order to find them homes.
O'Grady currently has three pet dogs; Olga, who is a black Cairn Terrier and was adopted from the homeless animals feature on the show. Louie (short for Lucifer), and Bullseye who was also recently adopted from the show.
Buster, whom had worked beside O'Grady for 15 years, featured in his last ever show on 11 November 2009, and officially retired after 15 years of working with Paul. Buster was put to sleep on 19 November 2009, after suffering from cancer. This was announced on 23 November 2009 by O'Grady on the show. O'Grady decided that putting him to sleep was the kindest approach "It was the kindest thing to do. Keeping him would be selfish."
Buster was popular on the show, and a limited edition Nodding Buster toy was produced and given out as a consolation prize, and thereafter as a prize from the tombola draw. In November 2008, Paul revealed that a Nodding Olga toy was to be produced. O'Grady alluded that Bullseye would be taking over from Buster once fully trained.
In total, O'Grady has 28 pets, which he mentioned on his show when responding to a viewer's question.
Guest appearances
The Paul O'Grady Show appeared in a series three episode of The Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate Show
The Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
, where Tate's character Joannie "Nan" Taylor made an appearance. Originally she acted very sweet, but later revealed her true colours. When O'Grady mentioned that they had replaced Joannie's old chair with a new one and placed it in her flat, she became enraged at them for intruding her flat. Nan started swearing and walked off the set, much to the disgust of O'Grady.
A short excerpt is seen in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episode "The Stolen Earth
The Stolen Earth
"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is...
" of O'Grady ranting to the audience of how many planets appeared above the sky (an allusion to the events in the episode). Ianto Jones
Ianto Jones
Ianto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television series Torchwood, played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A series regular, Ianto appears in every episode of the programme's first three series, as well as two crossover episodes of Torchwoods parent show, Doctor Who...
is seen in the Torchwood Hub
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
watching the show, contradicting the earlier setting of the episode which takes place on a Saturday (the show is Monday-Friday only).
Controversies
- On 15 May, legal issues with the popular game in the show came to light, as the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
did not have a valid license for live entertainment in the studios. As a result, no live music or singing could be exhibited on the show until the license was granted a few weeks later. However, as the majority of the music 'played' by O'Grady was pre-recorded this avoided the problem. - In light of O'Grady's love of dogs, and the fact that O'Grady rescued Buster, the show runs a "Find a Dog a Home" slot where abandoned dogs from various charities are featured. Viewers can then call in to request they be placed on a list to give the dog a permanent home. A direct telephone number was given to connect viewers to the appropriate charity. On moving to Channel 4, the slot remained but now viewers had to initially call a 10p-per-call information service to get the direct number of the charity. Calls dropped dramatically, and charity groups including The Dog's Trust and Battersea Dogs' Home told producers that they would no longer be involved with the show. The premium rate line was quickly dropped from 29 May 2006, and the original format reintroduced with the full support of the charities.
External links
- The Paul O'Grady Show at Channel4.com (No longer updated)