Paul O’Grady fans were thrilled to watch the first episode of the late star’s latest documentary on Sunday.
It was announced that Paul had died “unexpectedly but peacefully” from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia at home with his partner Andre Portasio on March 28 last year.
His last television project was Paul O’Grady’s Big Elephant Adventure, on which he was finishing work just days before he died.
The documentary was filmed in Thailand and Laos in December 2022, while Paul’s voiceover work was completed in the weeks before his death.
The two-part series, which airs over Easter on ITV, follows Paul as he helps out at centers caring for endangered species.
Paul O’Grady fans were thrilled to watch the first episode of the late star’s latest documentary on Sunday.
His last television project was Paul O’Grady’s Elephant Adventure, on which he was finishing work a few days before he died.
On social media during the episode, one person wrote: “Elephants and Paul O’Grady in one spot on my TV are not good for my emotional stability.”
Someone else posted: ‘How nice to see Paul O’Grady again.’ He really was such a genuine guy that he got along with any animal he encountered. It was very emotional to see him with the elephants tonight. He really he was one of a kind.’
While another person shared: ‘Awww, this world without Paul O’Grady is a sadder place.’ I miss him and his special soul. It is a pleasure to see him on our screens, it seems as if he has never left us.”
‘The world is a much poorer place without Paul O’Grady. That man was a jewel of all human beings,” said another viewer.
While someone else posted: ‘What a national treasure Paul O’Grady is.’ “It is greatly missed, but the legacy that remains is extraordinary.”
Another fan wrote: ‘Paul O’Grady is truly a national treasure. “We lost a lot a year ago.”
And someone else shared: ‘Now watching #GreatElephantAdventure by Paul O’Grady. A charming, affectionate and sensitive man. We miss you so much #POG.’
According to the show’s producer and Paul’s lifelong friend, Claire Barton, while he was at one of the centres, despite being covered in mud and almost falling, Paul declared that he was “in heaven”.
On social media during the episode, one person wrote: “Elephants and Paul O’Grady in one spot on my TV are not good for my emotional stability.”
A teaser clip for the series shows Paul taking a hit from an elephant named Lotus, as he turns to apologize to her for not paying enough attention to her.
Paul laughs and jokes: ‘I don’t stand a chance, do I!’
The producer of the show and Paul’s lifelong friend. Claire Barton said: “Paul wanted to highlight the plight of elephants, which fascinated him throughout his life.
“We didn’t know this would be the last TV series Paul would film before his death last year.”
The series focuses on the efforts of talk center workers to rescue and rehabilitate wild elephants.
While filming was completed in late 2022, it was only edited and finalized in the days before Paul’s sudden death.
Paul O’Grady admitted he was “in heaven” while filming his latest TV documentary just months before his shocking death aged 67 last year.
His last television project was Paul O’Grady’s Big Elephant Adventure, on which he was finishing work just days before he died.
In February 2023, Claire revealed how she met with Paul for meetings before he recorded voiceovers for the show.
He admitted that if they had worked at Paul’s usual pace, the work may never have been completed, but he wrote in the radio times I really wanted to move forward.
She wrote: ‘But Paul was flying through the comment. For the first time in 18 years of working together, Paul suggested that he go ahead and finish recording the voiceover. We completed the films with Paul’s voice that afternoon. The date was March 15, 2023. It would be the last time I would see Paul.
Claire also heartbreakingly revealed that Paul had big plans for more TV shows together, which will now never happen.
Paul was hit by an elephant named Lotus, as he turned to apologize to her for not paying enough attention to her.
The duo had worked together on different shows for 20 years and were already in the initial process of exchanging new ideas.
According to Claire, these ideas included a series about the African elephant, as well as another about wild dogs and wolves in Canada, which would be filmed the same year.
The series is a nod to Paul’s lifelong love of animals, after spending much of his later life filming his show, For The Love Of Dogs, at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The series will end with a tribute to Paul, which reads: “In memory of Paul O’Grady MBE 1955-2023.”