Paul O'Grady's widower reveals TV star's acts of kindness one year on from tragic death

ok.co.uk:

Paul O'Grady's final acts of kindness have been revealed one year on after the TV star's death. His husband Andre Portasio has opened up about how difficult it has been to move on but is now determined to celebrate Paul's legacy.

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Andre shared the many treasure-trove items that Paul created. "Just before he died, Paul started painting pictures of lavender on the ceiling of our guest cottage," he explained.. "He painted one side but to this day, the other side is still unfinished.

It makes me sad but at the same time gives me great comfort knowing that I shared my life with him." Paul became really popular when he appeared on ITV's This Morning as Lily Savage in the 1990s.Then Lily got to chat with big stars on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, run the game show Blankety Blank on the BBC.

When Paul was still with alive, Andre got him to give some special things to the V&A museum but now he plans to save even more items. "There is an amazing history of items in our loft that he kept over the years that no one ever got to see," Andre exclusively told Tom Bryant for the Mirror, while describing famous Lily Savage dresses and wigs, as well as countless pieces of memorabilia. "They don't belong to me, they belong to the nation," he said. "I feel the audience at large would absolutely love to see them again, and it's weighing on me very heavily how I take his legacy forward." After Paul passed away a year ago today, Andre got lots of kind messages from people all over the UK, including one lady from his village who told Andre how Paul had quickly given money for the community hall when asked. "She said how he instantly wrote the cheque no questions asked," Andre remembered. "I was so.