Paul O'Grady was a British comedian, television presenter, actor, drag performer, writer, and television producer who worked across stage, screen, and radio throughout his career.

Born on 14 June 1955 in Tranmere, O'Grady was educated at Redcourt – St Anselm's and later at Wirral Metropolitan College. He went on to build a career that spanned an unusually wide range of roles, working as a broadcaster, businessperson, autobiographer, and film actor in addition to his better-known work in television and live performance.

During the 1980s, O'Grady achieved notability on the London gay scene through his drag persona Lily Savage, a character that brought him to wider public attention and formed a significant part of his early career. He later became the presenter of a number of television and radio shows, including The Paul O'Grady Show, extending his reach as a broadcaster well beyond the drag circuit. Along the way he was also active as a television actor and continued to take on film roles, reflecting the breadth of his professional output. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Member of the Order of the British Empire. He worked in English throughout his career and remained a citizen of the United Kingdom.

O'Grady died on 28 March 2023 in Aldington. His output across the years ranged from live comedy performance and drag to television production and autobiography, and it was that consistent willingness to move between formats — from the stage persona of Lily Savage to the presenter's chair of his own television show — that characterised the shape of his working life.