O’Grady was born on 14 June 1955 at St. Catherine’s Hospital in the Tranmere area of Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). His father, Patrick “Paddy” Grady (1912–1973), was Irish and had grown up in Ballincurry, County Roscommon, before moving to England in 1936 and settling in the working-class area of Birkenhead.
His name was changed from “Grady” to “O’Grady” in a paperwork mistake when he joined the Royal Air Force, and he kept the new name.
Patrick married Mary “Molly” Savage (1916–1988), who was born in England to Irish immigrants from County Louth. Paul was their third child; his birth came over a decade after those of brother Brendan (born 1941) and sister Sheila (born 1944).
Mary Savage and Patrick Grady’s child, Paul O’Grady is a British comedian, television presenter, and actor. He was born on June 14, 1955, in Birkenhead, England. O’Grady began his career as a drag queen performer in the London club scene in the 1980s under the name “Lily Savage.”
He gained widespread fame as a comedian and television presenter in the UK during the 1990s and 2000s, hosting a number of successful shows such as “The Paul O’Grady Show” and “Paul O’Grady Live.”
He has also acted in a variety of television dramas and films, including “Holby City” and “Doctor Who.” O’Grady is known for his quick wit and irreverent sense of humour. He has won several awards for his work in television, including a BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 2005.