Paul O'Grady's husband Andre Portasio has spoken out publicly about his other half's final moments one year one from his death.
The comedian died aged 67 at the end of March last year, sparking floods of tributes from fans and famous faces who'd been impacted by his career in the spotlight.
One aspect of O'Grady's persona which fans loved him for was his unwavering fondness for animals.
So much so, O'Grady's ITV series For the Love of Dogs - which will return with Alison Hammond as the new host - won several National TV Awards while he was at the helm.
O'Grady's love for dogs transcended screens as he lived alongside Portasio and their clan of five pet canines - to whom he left a substantial sum in his will.
Now, Portasio has shared the "heartbreaking" moment during O'Grady's last day alive when one of his dogs desperately "nuzzled" into the comedian after he'd fallen to the floor.
Paul O'Grady's Andre Portasio has spoken out about his death
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After describing his final day with O'Grady as "ordinary", Portasio recalled how the pair were unwinding at home when he heard a "loud bang".
Portasio admitted he dismissed the sound at first and carried on with his day, heading to the kitchen to cook dinner.
He told the Mirror: "I walked to the kitchen to start putting some food on, and I started taking things out of the fridge.
"And all of a sudden, I could see him lying on the floor."
Portasio was understandably stunned by the sight as he continued: "He had a cut on his forehead, and I thought he was probably just unconscious."
O'Grady's life partner called the ambulance and began CPR on his loved one but it was sadly to no avail.
He then divulged: "The saddest part of this all is that when all of this happened, and as I was trying to resuscitate him, I was trying to keep the dogs out of the room.
"But somehow Paul’s dog Arfur, who is one of his favourites, escaped and he nuzzled his face as he always did on Paul’s shoulder, as if to say 'wake up'.
"It was just heartbreaking," Portasio said.
O'Grady was pronounced dead soon after as paramedics scrambled to try and revive the comedian.
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Paul O'Grady died in March last year
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ITV will mark the anniversary of O'Grady's death with a one-off special dedicated to his alter-ego, Lily Savage, on Friday evening.
The Liverpudlian comic was a household name throughout the nineties and noughties thanks to his drag character before he retired from the role before his death.
