Paul O'Grady still raking in weekly five-figure sum over a year after his death as staggering earnings revealed

GB News reports on Paul O'Grady's funeral

GB News
Marcus Donaldson

By Marcus Donaldson


Published: 01/11/2024

- 10:55

The animal lover died suddenly last year from cardiac arrhythmia

The late entertainer Paul O’Grady’s estate continues to earn a significant sum of money each week.

The Birkenhead-born comic had continued working right up until his sudden death in March last year, aged 67.


O’Grady’s firm Buster Productions Ltd, worth £8.5 million, has continued to generate an impressive income long after the entertainer’s tragic death from cardiac arrhythmia.

The company is named after the animal lover's beloved rescue dog Buster, who appeared alongside the presenter on Channel 4’s Paul O’Grady Show until Buster’s own death in 2009.

It has been revealed that Buster Productions paid £655,000 in corporation tax this May.

This would suggest the company earned somewhere in the region of £3.3 million over the preceding fiscal year, which works out at a whopping £63,000 a week.

Paul O'Grady and dogs

Animal lover O'Grady's production company continues to make money

PA

O’Grady himself paid £341,525 in corporation tax over the previous year which indicates he was personally earning an eye-watering £1.7 million.

The home where O’Grady and ballet dancer husband, Andre Portasio, lived is also currently on the market for £3.5 million.

The huge country property features a palatial main house, a swimming pool and several outbuildings.

On his vast 20 acres of land, O’Grady kept a menagerie of animals including dogs, alpacas, barn owls, ducks, goats, sheep, pigs and scores of rescued chickens.

O'Grady and the then Duchess of Cornwall at Battersea Cats and Dogs Home

O'Grady and the then Duchess of Cornwall at Battersea Cats and Dogs Home

PA

However, the much-loved entertainer was exceedingly generous with his good fortune.

In his will, O’Grady left £125,000 for the care of his five dogs and a huge half-a-million donation to the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home.

The animal-loving comic used the Battersea sanctuary as the setting for his wildly successful teatime show For The Love of Dogs.

His final recording of For The Love of Dogs was completed in the summer of 2022 and aired in January last year. Since the star’s death, Allison Hammond has taken the helm as the show’s host.

Along with For The Love of Dogs and The Paul O’Grady Show, the comic also starred in Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape, Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line-Up and five series of Channel 5’s Blind Date reboot.

In his last TV outing, O’Grady appeared alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla, Paul Hollywood and Ricky Tomlison as part of the pre-recorded opening for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest held in Liverpool.

\u200bO'Grady's husband Andre Portasio attending the star's funeral with one of their dogs

O'Grady's husband Andre Portasio attending the star's funeral with one of their dogs

PA

O’Grady rose to fame as drag alter ego Lily Savage in the early 1990s and maintained a loyal following for his star-studded career.

In one of his last TV appearances, O’Grady subtly revealed his health troubles to fans while travelling to Thailand to explore elephant sanctuaries.

When browsing herbal remedies, he said he was looking for: “Something for my heart. I have some varicose veins and some other personal issues.”

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