Paul O'Grady spent his last day surrounded by his favourite comforts - including his husband.
Andre Portasio was with the star in his final hours before he collapsed at their home in Kent. Paul, 67, had twice suffered a heart attack before and died due to a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Professional ballet dancer Andre described their last 'very ordinary day' together at a memorial service for his husband last August. "We'd had a very ordinary day, just watching TV together at home, when Paul said he wanted to make a 'cup of tea'," he said.
"That was our little code for rolling a spliff. So Paul went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, brought it back, lit it and started smoking it - and that was our last time together."
Andre and Paul were together for nearly two decades (WireImage)Paul and Andre, who was 25 years his junior, walked down the aisle in 2017 at London's Goring Hotel after a decade together. But first there was a catch - the star was already married, to Portuguese model Teresa Fernandes. The original nuptials, a 'marriage of convenience', had taken place in 1977 to save Paul's pal being deported.
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"Teresa, I call her the lesbian Portuguese barmaid, was lovely," said Paul. "She looked like David Cassidy. We worked in a club in Westbourne Grove, London, when I was 22.
"She was from a very strict Catholic family and was always being hassled by them. 'Why aren't you getting married?' So I said: 'Come on then, we'll get married', and we did."
The Lily Savage star had forgotten all about the arrangement for 28 years until his manager Brendan reminded him: "If anything happened to you, everything would go to your wife. It's like a real-life Corrie storyline."
The star's pal Julian Clary advised him to tie the knot (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Paul first shot to fame as much-loved drag queen Lily Savage (ITV)And it was fellow comic Julian Clary had suggested Paul tie the knot with Andre, for love this time around. As Paul contemplated the idea, he realised he had one wish for his husband, should anything happen to him.
"He said: 'I've got married. You should,'" said Paul. "And he's right, then you protect your partner. If anything happens to me, he is protected. It makes sense.
"You feel more committed," added the star. "You have made a vow, you have to stick to it. But we still fight like cat and dog."
"Married life is the same as before," said Paul of his life partner. "We have known each other so long. Nothing has changed, really. And it's nice. I like saying I'm married – better than saying I'm a divorcee, which I was before."
The couple shared their home in Adlington, Kent, with a brood of animals including five rescue dogs, Nancy, Arfur, Conchita, Eddie and Sausage, pigs, alpacas, chickens, sheep and goats.
The star and Queen Camilla had a shared love of dogs (PA)"I'm sort of accepting that he’s gone," Andre told Loose Women in April. "It took me quite a long time to get to this position I think. To begin with, it was really a shock.
"I should thank everyone that wrote to me and just the kindness of everybody really. It will stay with me forever."
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National treasure Paul was loved by fans, famous friends and even Queen Camilla, who wrote Andre a letter of condolence after his death. The star was known for his charitable work and in particular his love of dogs.
Andre marked the year anniversary of Paul's passing in New Zealand. "I took his passport with me, I took his pyjamas and do you know that I also took one of his friends with me, that's an imaginary friend, called Kiddy," said the widower, who was keen not to be at home a year on from the day he found his husband collapsed. "I wanted to celebrate his life, the time we had together. I was very fortunate to have spent eighteen years with him."
Watch Paul O’Grady: 40 Years Of Laughter at 9pm tonight on Channel Five
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