Julian Clary paid a very special tribute to his friend Paul O’Grady at the late TV legend’s funeral this week – which included a nod to one of his most famous gigs.
The stand-up comedian and Celebrity Big Brother winner was a close friend of Paul’s, and came together with many of his loved ones on Thursday when the For The Love Of Dogs host was laid to rest.
During the service, Julian also delivered a eulogy that featured a playful nod to Blankety Blank, which Paul famously hosted for a number of years in the late 90s and early 2000s as his drag alter-ego, Lily Savage.
Churchwarden Normal Corfield told the Express: “[Julian] started [the eulogy] by saying because it was in a church he wouldn’t be using any swear words so he amused everybody by putting a lot of ‘blanks’ in.
“There were lots of blanks in amongst the words he said. He was telling stories about his time with Paul O’Grady and he obviously had a great time with him and he was very fond of him.”
Reverend Canon Roger Martin added: “He spoke quite a lot about their stage life together.”
Other references to Paul’s career during the funeral included renditions of You’ve Gotta Get A Gimmick and Tomorrow from the musicals Gypsy and Annie.
Paul previously performed You’ve Gotta Get A Gimmick at the Royal Variety Performance as Lily Savage, accompanied by his friends Cilla Black and Barbara Windsor.
He’d also been performing as Miss Hannigan in a touring production of Annie at the time of his death, sharing the role with Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.