Paul OâGrady, one of Britainâs most beloved  TV icons, made a devastating decision in the final months of his life â he turned down a vital heart operation because he didnât want to âlet people down.â The entertainer, who died aged 67 in March 2023 after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia, refused an implantable defibrillator despite his doctorsâ advice.
According to his close friend and longtime producer Malcolm Prince, Paul was determined to continue performing. âHe didnât want to go back into hospital for another procedure and then spend time recuperating,â Malcolm shared in his new book Paul OâGrady â Not The Same Without You. âHe wanted to live his life and keep working. He didnât want to let people down.â

At the time, Paul had signed contracts for the musical Annie and was working on a dog show. Even after a week-long hospital stay at the William Harvey Hospital in Kent, he texted his daughter, Sharyn, confirming that he wouldnât be getting the defib.
His manager, Joan Marshrons, revealed that Paul was also afraid of losing control on stage. âHe didnât want to be on camera or in front of an audience when the pacemaker kicked in. He would have been embarrassed about it all.â
Malcolm also revealed that Paul sometimes hinted he knew his time was limited, telling friends, âIâm not going to be here for much longer.â

The forthcoming book, serialized by The Mirror, includes touching recollections from his daughter Sharyn, his celebrity friends, and colleagues. It also reveals Paulâs lifelong struggle with body image and the possible eating disorder he developed during his Lily Savage years â when the pressure to stay slim was overwhelming.
Earlier this month, Paulâs widow, Andre Portasio, shared that his grave in Bonnington, Kent, finally has a headstone, two and a half years after his death. The dark grey stone includes both Paulâs and his late partner Brendan Murphyâs names, along with a tiny figurine of his beloved dog Buster and a quote from philosopher Michel de Montaigne:Â âThe greatest thing in the world is to know how to be oneâs own self.â

Andre wrote: âI miss him dearly every day, but Iâm grateful his resting place is now complete. I hope he would be pleased with the final design.â


