In an interview before his death last week, Paul O’Grady spoke about the pleasure he felt when going to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home for his long-running programme.
The presenter and comedian, who came to prominence as Lily Savage on the nightlife scene, died ‘unexpectedly but calmly’ last week.
Since 2012, O’Grady has hosted Paul O’Grady: For the Love of canines, a reality documentary series in which he meets members of the Battersea staff to discuss the canines in their care and follows each dog’s journey through the home.
The forthcoming 13th season is set to premiere next week, and O’Grady recently spoke about returning to the organisation.
‘It’s always such a joy to be back at Battersea. It really is my second home and I’m part of the furniture now,’ he said in an interview for the show.
‘There are some smashing dogs in the new series, they really are lovely. But some sad stories as well and of course there is a dog that I fall in love with too. There always is.’
O’Grady also stated that when the show was first created, he “certainly did not expect to stay this long.”
‘It’s such a simple little show really. No special effects, no shiny floor. Just the dogs, the incredible people who work with the dogs, and me. But the reaction it still gets is really lovely,’ he said.
When asked about the animal companions he encountered this time, O’Grady said he was “obsessed” with a Newfoundland named Peggy, who was “the size of a donkey” and “so loving.”
‘I thought, “I can’t bring her back, I don’t know what (my dogs) would say”. Especially Eddie, my Chihuahua – he’d go for him,’ he said.
Eddie, he said, had “no idea of his own size” and would “straight into a fight, even though we’ve got bigger rats than Eddie.”
O’Grady rehomed chihuahua-Jack Russell mix puppy Eddie at his Kent farmstead during the first season of the programme.
Boycie, a shih-tzu, arrived in 2014, Conchita, a Maltese, arrived in 2015, Arfur, a mongrel puppy, arrived in 2017, Nancy, another mongrel puppy, arrived in 2020, and Sausage, a wire-haired dachshund, arrived in 2021.
O’Grady described the show as a ‘Cinderella tale,’ saying canines would frequently arrive in an awful state and neglected, but after the staff stepped in with their patience, compassion, medicine, and experience, they ‘transformed’ the dog before it went to a new home.
‘Sadly, not every dog can have a happy ending but to make this programme is a privilege, even when it means rolling around on the floor of the kennels with the dogs all day,’ he said.
Following O’Grady’s passing, Battersea established a memorial fund in his honor, with over £200,000 raised so far.
Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs returns on Thursday April 13 at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
