Linda Nolan has revealed that she was supported by her pal Paul O’Grady during her cancer battle, prior to his death at the age of 67.
Tributes have poured in for the legendary presenter and radio star after his partner Andre Portasio shared that he had passed away ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’.
Now Linda, 64, – who revealed her cancer has spread to her brain on Monday – has shared her heartbreak at his passing.
The singer said Paul, who was her friend of over three decades, would often check in on her about her health battle.
Speaking to The Sun, she said: ‘I loved him. He was such a great friend. Although we didn’t live in each other’s pockets, he would always pick up the phone or text me out the blue to see how I was keeping.
Friends: Linda Nolan has revealed that she was supported by her pal Paul O’Grady during her cancer battle, prior to his death at the age of 67
Tragic: Tributes have poured in for the legendary presenter and radio star after his partner Andre Portasio shared that he had passed away ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’
‘He was such an incredible talent and a great professional. He will be sorely missed by all of us.’
Linda and Paul have been close friends since they toured together from 1995 to 1997 in Prisoner Cell Block H: The Musical, where Linda played the Governess and Paul played his iconic Lily Savage.
Linda shared a tribute to Paul on Wednesday, posting a clip of her and her sisters on his show in 2009.
She penned: ‘Devastated about the passing of the incredible #PaulOGrady, a great friend for at least 30 years.
‘I was lucky to work with him and of course Lily, in Prisoner Cell Block H: The Musical, what a time that was!
‘Such an amazing talent and great professional, he will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his partner, family and friends. RIP Paul. ❤️❤️❤️;
Linda was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer in 2005 before getting the all-clear in 2006.
But in 2017 she was diagnosed with a form of incurable secondary cancer in her hip, which spread to her liver in 2020.
On Monday, she told GMB presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley: ‘I’ve always been hopeful with my treatment and what’s going on in my life.
‘I just want to tell you unfortunately for me my cancer has spread to my brain and that’s obviously frightening because there isn’t much treatment for brain cancer except for chemotherapy.’
She added: ‘I’m not giving up. I’m positive. I’m going to lose my hair again for the fourth time.’
‘I’ve moved back in with my sister to live, I was having falls, the cancer in my brain was affecting my balance and I had three quite nasty falls.
‘So, as usual, my amazing family – I’m back living with my sister Denise and her partner. Maureen has been looking after me for the past few weeks.
Heartbroken: Linda shared a tribute to Paul on Wednesday, posting a clip of her and her sisters on his show in 2009
She told presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley: ‘I just want to tell you unfortunately for me my cancer has spread to my brain, and that’s obviously frightening because there isn’t much treatment for brain cancer’
‘I’ve bought a wheelchair, we’re getting stuff ready for the inevitable really. It’s a scary trip to be on, this one.’
Linda said she was trying to remain positive: ‘I don’t know how long I’ve got left, and that’s not me being morbid or anything, but I don’t know, none of us know really. So for me, it’s making the most of every day and spending it with people I love. Just being positive.
‘Yes, I’ve beaten it before. I’ve been fighting it since 2005 originally and then I’ve beaten it before, so hopefully I can do the same again. Obviously, with the great help I’ve always had from the NHS.’
O’Grady became a household name in the early noughties , known for his wit and love of animals, and hosted a string of television programmes including his self-titled daytime chat show, The Paul O’Grady Show, which began airing in 2004.
He also took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, to host the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017. And he fronted Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s award-winning For The Love Of Dogs.
The father-of-one’s cause of death wasn’t immediately known, but he had previously spoken of surviving heart attacks in 2002, 2006 and 2014, and also kidney failure . He also had a debiltating Covid battle that left him unable to work for two months.
O’Grady married Portuguese lesbian barmaid Teresa Fernandes in 1977 to stop her deportation. They divorced in 2005 and he married ex-ballerina Mr Portasio in 2017.
Decades earlier in 1974, he had his only child, a daughter called Sharyn Mousley, with his dear friend Diane Jansen. O’Grady is also a grandfather to Sharyn’s son Abel, who was born in 2006 and is now aged 16, and Sharyn’s daughter Halo, born in 2009.
Portasio said: ‘It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.
‘We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
‘He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
‘I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.’
Iconic: The TV star was best known for his drag alter-ego Lily Savage, hosting the beloved game show Blankety Blank
Tribute: Paul’s death was announced by his partner Andre Portasio, who he married in 2017 (the couple are pictured here at the Royal Opera House in London in 2018)
O’Grady and Portasio were married during a low-key wedding ceremony in 2017 .
During his career, he hosted The Paul O’Grady Show, Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s multi-award-winning For The Love Of Dogs. He also hosted ITV celebrity game show, Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up.
O’Grady took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, as he hosted the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017.
Last year he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, an organisation for which he was an ambassador.
In August last year he presented his final BBC Radio 2 show having hosted the Sunday afternoon programme for nearly 14 years, later saying the station’s drive for younger listeners ‘doesn’t make sense’ .
O’Grady had been set to return to the airwaves next month to host a one-off Easter Sunday radio show on Boom Radio.
And he was performing right until the end – taking to the stage as Ms Hannigan in Annie at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
In a statement, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home paid tribute to O’Grady as a ‘devoted animal lover’ and a ‘champion for the underdog’.
Screen favourite: During his career, he hosted The Paul O’Grady Show (pictured with his dog Olga), Blind Date and Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs
The organisation’s chief executive, Peter Laurie, said: ‘Battersea will forever remember Paul as a devoted animal lover with the biggest heart, who fell head over heels in love with every dog he met at our centres.
‘Paul will always be associated with Battersea and we are truly saddened to have lost such a true friend and huge part of our charity.’
O’Grady’s love for animals was well-known, and he had lived in a farmhouse in Kent with Portasio along with a menagerie of animals including four dogs, goats, sheep, chickens and barn owls.
During the coronavirus lockdown, he wrote his debut children’s book, Eddie Albert And The Amazing Animal Gang, which was published in September 2021.
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