Beloved star Paul O’Grady has left a sizeable £15.5m in his will, including £125,000 set aside specially to care for his five pet dogs.

The Lily Savage icon passed away “unexpectedly but peacefully” at his home in Kent on 28 March 2023, aged 67, from sudden cardiac arrhythmia. One year on from the popular star’s death, it’s been revealed that his agent Joan will look after all of Paul’s dogs – Nancy, Arfur, Conchita, Eddie, and Sausage.

Paul stated in his will that each dog should get £25,000 in the wake of his death. He wrote: “The legacy shall mean £25,000 in respect of each animal. I direct that Joan shall take over the responsibility of each animal….to use each legacy for the upkeep and maintenance of each Animal until its death.”

A dear friend of Paul shared words on his final wishes saying: “This is typical of Paul as he put his money where his mouth was by leaving cash to charities that had special meaning to him. And though £125,000 seems like a lot of money to spend on his dogs, they also meant the world to him and he wanted to ensure they always receive the best love and care.”

He added that their bond was very special: “It transcended any sexual relationship we’d had. This was a partnership. A double act, Emma Peel and Steed, Laurel and Hardy. We were both 49, barely able to believe what we’d achieved I’d just won a BAFTA for the Paul O’Grady Show and then suddenly bang, he’s gone.”

Paul later found happiness with Brazilian ballet dancer Andre after meeting him in a gay club in London. They became pals and tied the knot at the posh Goring Hotel in Central London in 2017. It was Andre who shared the sad news of Paul’s death with all his fans last year.

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Paul O’Grady was a passionate lover of animals and wildlife ( 
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Elsewhere in the will, half a million pounds were donated by Paul to the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, a charity close to his heart and regularly seen on his popular TV show – ITV’s For the Love of Dogs. Following Paul’s sad departure, This Morning presenter Alison Hammond was announced as the new host of the series.

The late star also left behind £775,000 to be given to causes he felt passionate about, including special donations of £50,000 each to elephant and orangutan charities. Birkenhead-born Paul also generously gifted another £50,000 to the Salvation Army, an organisation he respected since they helped those in need in his Merseyside childhood days.

Most of Paul’s money will go to his husband, Andre Portasio, his daughter Sharon Mousley, and his sister Sheila Rudd. His agent Joan Marshrons and nine other people, including his godchildren Milo and Otis Sainsbury, will also get some money, according to The Sun. Paul also left £100,000 to help wild animals in other countries. This is for the Indian Wildlife Trust, called Wildlife SOS, and a group that helps orangutans in Borneo.

Paul was buried next to his old partner Brendan Murphy in April last year. Brendan was Paul’s manager and partner before he died from a brain tumour in 2005, just before his 50th birthday. Paul once told Mirror about losing his best friend Brendan: “I’d lost my best mate, someone who’d been in my life for 25 years and saw me through the days when I was lucky to earn £50 for standing on a beer crate in the corner of a pub telling jokes. Murph and I were like brothers joined at the hip, thick as thieves.”