TV presenter and comedian Paul O’Grady has passed away at the age of 67.

The TV star, also known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening, a statement said.

Mr O’Grady was born in Birkenhead, on the Wirral, Merseyside. The famous entertainer’s father Paddy grew up in Ballincurry, Glinsk before emigrating to England in 1936 and settling in Birkenhead. His mother Mary’s family hailed from Louth.

Speaking a number of years ago in an interview about his father, he said: “He actually came over to England because he couldn’t do the work on the farm. It was only when he got to England and they discovered that he had TB and that’s why. He was a true Irishman, my father. Through and through.”

In an interview in 2022, Mr O’Grady said he considered buying his grandad’s house in Roscommon. “It was a lovely cut-stone farmhouse, but they were using it for cattle storage. It didn’t have a roof and everything had fallen to bits,” he said.

During his long career, he hosted many TV programmes including The Paul O’Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank.

A well-known animal lover who kept dogs, pigs, bats, ferrets and more at his farm in Kent, Mr O’Grady also presented the award-winning show ‘For The Love Of Dogs’.