BBC Radio 2 are under fire by Paul O’Grady fans for paying tribute to him just months after “treating him disgracefully”.
The star died following an exhausting seven months in which he took on as much work as possible after he felt forced to quit his BBC Radio 2 show.
He had signed up for a string of TV, stage and radio shows — despite battling a draining bout of Covid last summer.
The Lily Savage star died aged 67 just three days after completing a run in a UK tour playing Miss Hannigan in Annie, The Musical.
He was due to start working for a new radio station, Boom Radio — and to return for another run of Annie later this spring.
Proud Liverpudlian Paul had gained a huge fanbase hosting his Sunday afternoon Radio 2 show for 14 years.
He left last August when Beeb bosses asked him to share the slot with fellow comedian Rob Beckett.
Last night Radio 2 faced a backlash after tweeting: “We’re incredibly saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Paul O’Grady.
“Paul was a brilliant broadcaster and incredible comedian. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. We’ll miss you Paul.”
Fans reacted angrily, with one saying: “You’ll miss him? We’ve missed him since you pushed him off air. Paul was a wonderful broadcaster and deserved much better than the shabby treatment he received from Radio 2.”
Another snapped: ‘Unfortunately this doesn’t feel so heartfelt from the BBC considering he lost his brilliant show.”
A third tweeted: “Paul’s Sunday show on Radio 2 was loved by many devoted listeners.
Without any just reason, you brought it to an end. I find your sentiments rather disingenuous today.”
Paul had described his radio show as “one of the longest jobs I’ve ever held down”.
He still did not want to consider retirement — despite heart attacks in 2002 and 2006 — as well as an angina attack in 2013 that also required heart surgery.
He landed in hospital with kidney trouble during a trip to India in 2017 while filming an animal show and doctors saved him with antibiotic and saline treatments.
Last year he was left unable to work for two months after catching Covid, having felt grateful to have avoided contracting it during the initial pandemic.
Paul had to spend the summer recuperating at his farm in Aldington, near Ashford, Kent, where he kept a menagerie of dogs, llamas and pigs.
Speaking last month, he recalled: “I had a vicious headache and a terrible cough. I was really ill. It wiped me out, I was shocked at how bad I was.
“I was a good two months getting over it. My breath had gone.
“I’ve never slept so much in my life. I’d had all the jabs, but it just finished me off.”
Catching Covid forced him to stop filming on Channel 5 drama The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
He had already had to halt preparations to make his documentary on elephants when lockdown hit in March 2020.
Last year, animal-lover Paul also made the eleventh series of his ITV show For the Love of Dogs and was completing a secret documentary on elephants in Laos — which could be his last ever TV show.
A TV insider said: “Paul had committed to a workload that would overwhelm a man half his age, but he liked regular work to keep him occupied.
“He was immensely popular among viewers and was used to his life being incredibly busy as a result. He didn’t want that to change.
“Despite his advancing years and ailing health, he seemed to be taking more than ever — perhaps feeling the sense that it could all come to an end at any moment.
“Losing his Radio 2 show had proved a huge shock for Paul as he loved it dearly.
“He felt the need to fill the void at a time when he should probably have been taking things easy.
“But he was more than happy not to put his feet up and knew it was his decision entirely.”
