Paul O'Grady speaks from beyond the grave three years after death in forgotten voicemails

EXCLUSIVE: Paul O'Grady speaks from beyond the grave three years after death in forgotten voicemails In a brand new chapter added to the late great Paul O'Grady's biography, his Radio 2 producer, Malcom Prince, reveals the presenter's favourite songs of all time Celebrated for his direct, no nonsense humour, Paul O’Grady was known to “take the fluff off the needle.” The expression is the title for a new chapter, added this week to a biography of the star by his BBC Radio 2 producer, Malcolm Prince. First released last November, in the additional pages of the new paperback version of Paul O’Grady - Not The Same Without You - out now - Malcolm reveals the TV and radio presenter’s favourite songs of all time. One of them, Elvis Presley's Trouble, became his mobile ringtone. Paul shared information about songs he’d like for his show and his closeness to stars like Cilla Black, in voicemails to Malcolm, which he rediscovered when changing phones. He writes: “This frustrating experience [switching handsets] made me think of Paul who was not tech savvy. But there was one good thing to come out of my struggles. I came across old, forgotten voice messages from Savage [Paul’s drag character Lily Savage]. I have now saved them somewhere safe, because they are a joy.” The voicemails from Paul - who died suddenly at his home in Kent in March 2023 after suffering cardiac arrhythmia, aged just 67 - generally contained requests for music and the occasional rant about something. Malcolm, who worked with the For the Love of Dogs presenter for 20 years, writes: “Paul would regularly phone me for a catch-up." After quitting his BBC Radio 2 show-of-14 years in August 2022, when a new schedule required him to share his Sunday afternoon slot with Rob Beckett, on a "13 weeks on, 13 weeks off basis" - Paul often criticised BBC executives. Recalling Paul’s last ever voicemail, Malcolm writes: "His very last message to me was a succinct 17 seconds long and it goes something like this: ‘Hiya, Malcolm. You never answer your bloody phone, do you! Honestly, what are you doing? Right. Ring me back. I've got something to tell you. I'm in Kent, I've got to feed the animals in a bit but call me. I'll speak to you later, ter-ra’ I never did find out what that news was, but as well as a juicy bit of goss, I bet there was a piece of music involved." Paul’s Radio 2 show regularly drew 2 million listeners. Malcolm writes: "Music was central to Paul's incredible career, from the early days when he and his pals mimed, to show tunes in the nation's gay bars and clubs, all the way to headlining panto appearances." His favourite track, Elvis singing Trouble, was played at Paul’s funeral. Malcolm writes: "Elvis performed the song in the 1958 movie King Creole, and Paul loved it; he never tired of playing it. For a time, he used this track as a ringtone on his mobile. Trouble sometimes made it on air as Paul would forget to turn his phone off. When he joined Sue Lawley for Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in 2003, he described this song as his ‘party piece’ and the one he would get up and perform to.’” Malcolm recalls Paul’s deep regard for pal Cilla Black, whose Spanish villa he holidayed at until her death in August 2015, after she fell and hit her head at her holiday home, aged 72. At her funeral, he delivered a deeply emotional tribute, famously joking about their wild antics in New York. Malcolm, who first met Paul in 1991 after asking him to contribute to a radio show to celebrate Cilla's 40th anniversary in showbiz, writes: "No Paul playlist would be complete without a song from Miss Cilla Black. "I could have chosen so many. Liverpool Lullaby always resonated with Paul, and Cilla performed it on the television special he hosted to celebrate her 50th anniversary in showbusiness. Then there was the Paul McCartney-penned Step Inside Love, or Something Tells Me, which found a new life thanks to a TV advert for an Italian chocolate. But for this playlist, I'm including Alfie written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it was the one Cilla song that truly got to Paul.” After he played this song, days after Cilla’s death, Macolm writes: “Paul briefly broke down on air.” He also recalls Paul enjoying a wild night out in London with Dame Shirley Bassey. He writes: "Although Paul didn't want to have regular interview guests on his radio show, we did make exceptions. In 2009, he spoke at length to Dame Shirley as she released the album The Performance. It was such a special show. Dame Shirley happily reminisced about her remarkable career and clearly enjoyed remembering a television programme she and Paul had made together at the London Studios on the South Bank a few years before. Apparently, they had shared a late-night session which, according to Paul, saw Dame Shirley drink him under the table. Their chemistry was clear to see. Party? You bet!" Paul, it is revealed, was also a devoted fan of the pop group Steps, who often sent him Christmas presents as a reward for playing their hits on his radio show. Malcolm says any song by Steps would be a Paul favourite. He writes: "Paul was chuffed to bits with the knitted Steps hats and scarfs they sent us one Christmas. He admired their consistent chart success, but he never could remember all the moves to Tragedy." But Paul’s gratitude for the knitted gifts belied the fact he was a Christmas Grinch, according to Malcolm, who writes: "Paul wasn't a huge admirer of Christmas, and I used to wind him up something rotten when I played seasonal music in September - or earlier. "He was a good sport and happily played along. I think he was rather chuffed to have bespoke radio jingles calling him Paul the Grinch O'Grady, and it was no secret he was delighted to host a special show on the big day. But Paul and I shared a mutual affection for Walt Disney's animated classics, and during his career he met many of the actors and artists who had worked for the famous studio.” The 1937 film Snow White and the Severn Dwarfs was Paul’s favourite Disney film. "At his home in Kent, he had a miniature figurine of the original Disney princess,” writes Malcolm. "I can still see him singing along to the songs - he knew all the words.” As well as Disney, Malcolm says Paul was also a huge fan of the cult 1960s TV show The Avengers, which was why he played the show's famous theme tune each week on his Sunday show. Malcolm writes: "Paul described himself as a massive Avengers fan and it was this iconic lost TV theme which inspired Paul's original BBC radio jingles. For a time, it was also another of the ringtones he used on his mobile." But, not unlike Malcolm, who admits to being frustrated when changing phones, new technology often baffled and annoyed Paul. He writes: “[Paul] often reminded me he had returned a brand-new car to the dealership because it kept on telling him how to drive. He told me ‘She never shut up! She was relentless! I couldn't cope with the satnav; she was a nightmare!’ he ranted.’" *The new paperback version of Malcolm Prince's memoir, Paul O'Grady: Not The Same Without You, is out now priced £10.99.