Carol Vorderman shared a series of sweet anecdotes with Paul O’Grady after his untimely death.
Tributes poured in for the legendary broadcaster after partner Andre Portasio said he passed away “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday at the age of 67.
Carol, 62, the former Countdown presenter, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share hilarious memories of their time together and admitted she “didn’t know what to do” without him after their 20-year friendship.
In a lengthy commentary, she revealed that the duo spent several nights together getting up from mischief until the wee hours.
She also touched on Paul’s friendship with Cilla Black, revealing that he shocked Bishop with the eulogy at her funeral in 2015.
STRONG FRIENDS: Carol Vorderman shared a series of sweet anecdotes with Paul O’Grady and admitted she didn’t know what she would do without him after his untimely death (pictured in 2009)
Paul and Sela were best friends and he was devastated when the Blind Date star passed away from a stroke in 2015.
He gave a sweet, funny eulogy at her funeral, saying, ‘I fervently believed her indestructible and always thought I’d be the first to go.
We’ve discussed my funeral several times and she had a major role in it involving mantillas and lilies. Will I have to rethink that I am not now?
Paul also joked that he was a bad influence on Cilla and that he introduced her to “the finer things in New York” after her husband’s death.
He also jokingly referred to himself as her guardian angel complete with “hoofs, horns, and a tail” and said “I’m proud that we’ve spent nearly two decades together raising hell, if you’ll pardon the expression, Bishop!”
Carroll made a reference to the eulogy on Wednesday when she shared a photo of Paul and wrote, “Already gave them a rant, ripped up the rule book, mischief making, called it love hell in heaven.”
So many 10 hour lunches, so many stories, so many memories… Remember that time Paul after the awards show we ended up in the green room with Shirley Bassey, just the six of us, until four in the morning. Shirl sings her heart out, you two dance, you two are so funny genius I can’t breathe…
Or the time you spent at Silas funeral when Bishop Tom gave you 10 peace be upon you and 3 our fathers as penance after your eulogy?
“Or the one where we were sitting outside a fancy restaurant in Mayfair and…..well that’s another story..”
BEST FRIENDS: Carol also touched on Paul’s friendship with Cilla Black, revealing that he shocked Bishop with his eulogy at her funeral in 2015 (pictured in 2013)
Sweet memories: Carol thought about the ten hour lunch with her friend and praised his unique personality.
In the second half of her emotional tribute, Carol reflects on her friend’s unique and inspiring personality, admitting that she “didn’t know what to do” in the wake of his loss.
continued: I loved your ferocity, your sense of right, the warrior in you, when you raged against this “stinking government” (Paul’s words)….. when you set the world on fire.
We don’t know what we would do without you Paul. There was only one of you. Not yet sunk.
All I know is that when I finally go, please be there with a glass of something cold and a fight in your eyes and a laugh in your voice. God you are loved.
Earlier on Wednesday, the reporter tried hard not to break down as she spoke about Paul this morning.
Speaking via video link, she had tears in her eyes as she emotionally reflected on the time they spent together, calling him “the most honest and sincere person I’ve ever met in the entertainment industry.”
O’Grady became a household name in the early 2000s, known for his wit and love of animals, and hosted a string of television shows including his own daytime talk show, The Paul O’Grady Show, which began airing in 2004.
Tribute: Paul’s death was announced by his partner Andre Portasio, whom he married in 2017 (the couple are pictured here at London’s Royal Opera House in 2018)
He also took the reins from longtime Blind Date presenter and close friend Cilla to host the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017. He has fronted Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s award-winning The Love Of Dogs.
The cause of the father’s death was not immediately known, but he previously spoke of his heart failure in 2002, 2006 and 2014, as well as kidney failure. He also had a debilitating battle with Covid that left him unable to work for two months.
O’Grady married lesbian Portuguese waitress Teresa Fernandez in 1977 to stop her deportation. They divorced in 2005 and he married former ballerina Mr. Portasio in 2017.
Decades earlier in 1974, he had his only child, a daughter named Sharyn Mosley, with dear friend Diane Jansen. O’Grady is also the grandfather of Labelle’s Sharyn, who was born in 2006 and is now 16 years old, and a daughter, Sharyn, born in 2009.
Portasio said: ‘It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.
We ask, at this difficult time, that as you celebrate his life, you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
He will be missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals, and everyone who enjoyed his sense of humor, wit, and compassion.
I know he wants me to thank you for all the love you’ve shown him over the years.
O’Grady and Portasio married during a low-key wedding in 2017.
During his career he has hosted The Paul O’Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as the multi-award winning ITV show The Love Of Dogs. He also hosted ITV’s celebrity game show, Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up.
O’Grady took over from longtime Blind Date presenter and close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, hosting a Channel 5 rerun of the show in 2017.
Iconic: Best known for his antics, TV star Lily Savage hosted the beloved game show Blankety Blank
Screen favourites: During his career he has hosted The Paul O’Grady Show (pictured with his dog Olga), Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs
Last year, the Queen Consort joined him for a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, an organization he’s an ambassador for.
In August last year, he presented his last show on BBC Radio 2 after hosting the Sunday afternoon show for nearly 14 years, later saying the station’s campaign for younger listeners was “nonsensical”.
O’Grady was set to return to the airwaves next month to host a one-off Easter Sunday radio show on Boom Radio.
And he performed to the very end – taking to the stage as Mrs. Hannigan in Annie at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
