Linda Thorson, the Avengers actor, fought to hold back tears as she paid tribute to her buddy Paul O’Grady after announcing he had saved her life.
The Lily Savage star died ‘unexpectedly but quietly’ on Tuesday, with members of the entertainment business, including Elton John, remembering him fondly.
Linda, 75, who met O’Grady while he was a presenter and she was a guest on The Big Breakfast, was among many who reflected on their connection with the Blind Date host.
Linda appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, telling hosts Susanna Reid and Adil Ray that Paul, who ‘helped everybody,’ came to her rescue.
‘We became the closest friends,’ she explained. Paul ultimately saved my life. Nobody could help him.’
Linda revealed that she became ill with Covid-19 around Christmastime 2020, and O’Grady arranged for a doctor to come to her house.
‘So this guy came in and he said, “You should be in hospital,” and I said, “I’m not going” as then all I knew is that everybody went to hospital and died.
‘Anyway, Christmas morning Paul called and he said, “Linda, I’m sending an ambulance,” and I said, “Don’t. I’m not going to hospital,” and he said, “Shut up and open the door.”
‘He sent an ambulance they got there and smacked an oxygen mask on me. He saved my life. And the NHS saved my life.’
Linda continued: ‘This was the kind of person he was. He helped everybody. He was just on it. He cared. He called me every day in the hospital.’
She later grew emotional as she related the heartbreaking events of his death, revealing that she had contacted him only hours before his death.
She said: ‘I can’t believe it. Just to hang up the phone and hours later for someone to die who was so happy. Full of life.
‘But he died in his own bed. His husband was there, Andre, who he’s been with for so many years. The most divine man.’
O’Grady was also recalled on Wednesday night in the south London club where he first achieved global popularity with his drag persona Lily Savage.
Instead of a traditional minute of quiet, a minute of wild applause was staged for the TV great during the concert at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) in Vauxhall.
RVT anchor Michael Twait informed a crowded house that O’Grady was a “true legend of the community.”
‘Today we lost one of the greatest drag artists the UK has ever seen, and it is this building, this building was where it happened,’ he said.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
