Paul O’Grady’s heartbroken fans all had the same thing to say when his fiancé, Andre Portasio, shared a clip taken 20 minutes before his death. The iconic entertainer, famously known as drag queen Lily Savage, died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ at the age of 67 in March 2023.

The presenter and radio star’s official death certificate later confirmed that he died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia. Two years later, his grieving fiancé Andre took to his Instagram page to share a video taken 20 minutes before his death. In the video, Paul thanked fans for their support as he comfortably sat in his armchair while cuddling one of his beloved dogs, Eddie.

Andre captioned the post as he marked the second anniversary of his death: “It’s incredible how our minds can shield us from the pain of loss in moments of shock. Today, my iPhotos reminded me of a lost video I recorded of Paul just 20 minutes before he sadly passed—what became the last recording he ever made to camera.

“In this bittersweet moment, you see him as the genuinely kind man he was, expressing heartfelt gratitude to everyone for supporting his book, which he recorded for an award ceremony he couldn’t attend.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since his passing. All the while, he’s surrounded by his beloved dogs. We miss you dearly @paulogrady. Happy heavenly birthday! #paulogrady.”

Fans rushed to the comment section to share their support for Andre as they added it was ‘scary’ he died only moments after this video was taken.

“It is scary to think that he passed away just after this video,” one user said and another added: “I’m so sad he’s gone. Just shows how close life and death is just on a silk thread. My heart goes out to you.”

“How life changes in an instant @andre_portasio thank you for having the strength to share this for the fans,” one fan commented.

Another heartbroken fan added: “What a special video this must be for you. How life can change so quickly. It’s lovely hearing his voice.”

Speaking in the video, Paul said: “Hello everybody, I’m Paul O’Grady and I just want to say a massive thank you for reading my book, and also for voting for it. I’m absolutely delighted with my award so thank you very much.”

Paul – who shot to fame as his alter-ego of Lily Savage in the 1980s – was also known for his love of animals, and cuddled up with his corgi.

He added: “And by the way, this is Eddie, this is my dog. Aren’t you? You’re famous. And Butch in the book is based on this little one. You’re being very quiet today aren’t you? Anyway, once again, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Look after yourselves.”

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