Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady

Born: June 14, 1955
Died: March 28, 2023
in Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK
Paul James O'Grady, MBE DL (14 June 1955 - 28 March 2023) was an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio disc jockey. He achieved fame using his comedic drag queen character, "Lily Savage", and later became well known for presenting TV programmes as himself, such as The Paul O'Grady Show. Born to a working-class Irish family in Birkenhead, he attended Blessed Edward Campion Secondary Modern School, in Claughton Village, Birkenhead, Cheshire (now Merseyside). O'Grady moved to London in the late-1970s, there working as a peripatetic care officer for Camden Council. It was here in 1978 that he developed his drag act, basing the character of Lily Savage upon traits found amongst female relatives. Touring northern England as part of drag mime duo, the Playgirls, he eventually went solo as a stand-up comedian. Performing as Savage for eight years at a South London gay pub, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), he gained a popular following among the city's gay community and used his character to speak out for LGBT rights. After being nominated for a 1992 Perrier Award, he attracted mainstream attention and made various television, radio, and theatrical appearances. As Savage, he presented morning chat show The Big Breakfast (1995–96), game show Blankety Blank (1997–2002) and comedy series Lily Live! (2000–01), earning various awards and becoming a well known public figure. Seeking to diversify his career away from Savage, O'Grady starred in BBC sitcom Eyes Down (2003–04) and presented two travel documentaries for ITV. In 2004, he began presenting ITV's daytime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, which proved a hit with audiences. After the network refused to transfer creative control of the series to O'Grady's production company, Olga TV, in 2006 he defected to rival Channel 4, where the show was rebranded as The New Paul O'Grady Show and ran until 2009. O'Grady subsequently presented a late night ITV show, Paul O'Grady Live (2010–11) as well as Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (which ran from 2012 until his death in 2023) and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans (2014–2016), while presenting BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless and publishing a four-volume autobiography. O'Grady received a variety of awards, among them honorary degrees and an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment. He died on 28th March 2023 aged 67.

Movies for Paul O'Grady...

Title: Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure
Character: Self
Released: March 31, 2024
Type: TV
Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure is a two-part series following Paul as he travels through Thailand and Laos to celebrate the wonderful work done by elephant conservation centres to rescue, rehabilitate and protect these most majestic, but vulnerable, of animals. Filmed in the months before his sudden and unexpected death, this was Paul’s final TV project and one that he was incredibly passionate about.
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The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Title: The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Character: Self (Archive footage)- Lily Savage
Released: March 29, 2024
Type: Movie
Intimate documentary exploring how Paul O'Grady's creation, Lily Savage, took mainstream TV by storm. Unravel the real story of Lily with insights from Paul's daughter and famous pals.
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For the Love of Paul O'Grady
Title: For the Love of Paul O'Grady
Character: Self (Archival Footage)
Released: April 9, 2023
Type: Movie
ITV pays tribute to the iconic and much-loved entertainer Paul O'Grady in this special celebratory film, featuring highlights from his incredible career and interviews with those who knew him best. Celebratory documentary broadcast following the death of the comedian and presenter. Features Paul O'Grady
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Maisie
Title: Maisie
Character: Self
Released: August 5, 2022
Type: Movie
After 50 years in the business, Mr. David Raven still performs as 'Maisie Trollette', Britain's Oldest Drag Artiste. But as his 85th birthday approaches, we see the challenges this brings, and when he meets fellow Drag Queen, Darcelle XV from America, Guinness World Record Holder at 87, professional rivalries flare between our feisty Pantomime Dame and the regal Pageant Queen.
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Title: The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Character: David
Released: October 16, 2021
Type: TV
Jean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when he suddenly dies and leaves her nearly penniless, Jean relocates to their one remaining asset - a cottage in French antiques hub Saint Victoire - and begins investigating Rory's mysterious death.
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Title: Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line Up
Character: Self - Presenter
Released: September 11, 2021
Type: TV
Paul and members of the studio audience ask celebrity guests intriguing questions, scenarios and dilemmas. The guests then line-up in order of how they would answer the question from best to worst, most likely to least likely etc.
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Our Cilla: The One and Only
Title: Our Cilla: The One and Only
Character: Himself
Released: June 6, 2021
Type: Movie
Doumentary telling the story of Cilla Black, who rose from working-class roots in Liverpool to become one of the nation's most successful and best-loved singers, presenters and all-round entertainers.
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The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years
Title: The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years
Character: Self
Released: January 7, 2020
Type: Movie
This one-hour special documentary celebrates 25 star-studded years of the National Television Awards, with contributions from stars including Graham Norton and Simon Cowell.
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The London Studios: Home of the Stars
Title: The London Studios: Home of the Stars
Character: Himself
Released: December 28, 2018
Type: Movie
The end of an era as the studios where ITV filmed its many shows for 45 years closes its doors for the last time.
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Title: Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India
Character: Self - Host
Released: April 26, 2018
Type: TV
Paul O'Grady travels to India to follow the work of a rescue charity caring for dogs in need.
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The Paul O'Grady Story
Title: The Paul O'Grady Story
Character: Himself / Lily Savage (archive footage)
Released: June 23, 2017
Type: Movie
A razor-witted entertainer who found fame as two people - first his drag queen alter ego, Lily Savage, and then as himself. This documentary film charts the unique career of a working class Merseysider whose life away from the spotlight has often been far more dramatic than the consistently successful career he has enjoyed on stage and screen.
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Our Cilla
Title: Our Cilla
Character: Self
Released: December 25, 2015
Type: Movie
Tribute to entertainer Cilla Black.
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Title: Good Morning Britain
Character: Self
Released: April 28, 2014
Type: TV
The latest news, sport, and weather from the UK in this daily breakfast show.
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Title: Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans
Released: January 14, 2014
Type: TV
Paul O'Grady visits Zambia and South Africa on the trail of young animals which have been orphaned in the wild, either through the actions of poachers or through farming forcing them out of their natural habitats.
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Title: For the Love of Dogs
Character: Self - Host
Released: September 3, 2012
Type: TV
Join Paul as he takes a look behind the gates of the famous home for pets.
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Title: Playhouse Presents
Released: April 12, 2012
Type: TV
Playhouse Presents is a series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky Arts 1. Each episode is written by a different writer and stars a different cast. The four-part adaptation of A Country Doctor's Notebook was also broadcast on the strand in December 2012. Sky Arts have announced that they are ordering a five-part spin-off of the third play, Nixon’s The One. They say the full cast, including Harry Shearer as Nixon and Henry Goodman as Kissinger, will return for the series run, which will be filmed in September 2012. The series will broadcast in 2013. The second series began airing in April 2013 featuring Kathy Burke, Frances Barber, Julia Davis, Idris Elba, Anna Friel, Rebecca Front, Stephen Graham, David Harewood, Ian Hart, Sharon Horgan, Mathew Horne, Suranne Jones, Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Redgrave, Peter Serafinowicz, Matt Smith, Johnny Vegas, Marc Warren, Jack Whitehall and Reggie Yates.
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Title: Coronation Street - 50 Years, 50 Moments
Released: December 7, 2010
Type: TV
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Title: Death In Venice
Released: November 7, 2009
Type: TV
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Title: Kate Garraway's Life Stories
Character: Self
Released: February 22, 2009
Type: TV
Celebrities open up to Kate Garraway in intimate and moving interviews.
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Title: Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Released: February 21, 2009
Type: TV
Celebrities perform famous dance routines in front of a panel of judges to raise money for the Comic Relief appeal, with viewers voting for their favourites.
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Title: Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong
Released: February 1, 2008
Type: TV
Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong was an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in between rounds on the scores is provided by Leslie Phillips. From Series 2, the announcer is Peter Dickson. Season was released onto DVD in 2008. Due to the success of Alan Carr: Chatty Man it has been announced that the show would not return for a third series.
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Title: The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
Released: October 4, 2007
Type: TV
Revolving around the life of Vivienne Vyle, a daytime TV presenter/agony aunt in the mold of Trisha, the show focuses on not only the problems of her guests but the problems Vivienne faces herself in regards to her love and home life.
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Title: The Graham Norton Show
Character: Self
Released: February 22, 2007
Type: TV
Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out.
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Title: Doctor Who
Character: Paul O'Grady
Released: March 26, 2005
Type: TV
The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a living—more of a hobby actually, and the Doctor's very, very good at it.
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Comic Aid
Title: Comic Aid
Released: March 2, 2005
Type: Movie
Shot live at the one off Comic Aid benefit gig at London’s Carling Apollo – which sold out in just three and a half minutes of tickets being put on sale – the DVD features the entire uncut show for all those unfortunate enough to have missed out on tickets. The 3 hour show sees Jonathan Ross, Jack Dee, Graham Norton, Julian Clary, and Lily Savage host a stellar comic line-up that includes; Lee Evans, Dawn French, Jimmy Carr, Ardal O’Hanlon, Johnny Vegas, Bill Bailey, Bo’ Selecta! star The Bear, Jo Brand, Jon Culshaw, Omid Djalili, Otis Lee Crenshaw, Eddie Izzard, The League Of Gentlemen with Miranda Richardson, Alistair McGowan, Dylan Moran, Dave Spikey, Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson. Psychological illusionist Derren Brown and international percussion sensation Stomp also present their own unique blend of stage entertainment.
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Title: The Paul O'Grady Show
Character: Self - Host
Released: October 11, 2004
Type: TV
The Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4, where the show was produced by Olga TV. The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions.
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Title: Parkinson
Released: September 4, 2004
Type: TV
Michael Parkinson's third and final Interview show, running from 2002
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Title: Celebrity Mastermind
Released: December 26, 2003
Type: TV
Celebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is a spin-off of the long-running quiz show Mastermind, with the exception that all the contestants are celebrities. As with the main show, John Humphrys is the host and question-master. Magnus Magnusson was quizmaster on the 2003/04 episodes featuring Jonathan Meades as winner.
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Title: Eyes Down
Character: Ray Temple
Released: August 15, 2003
Type: TV
Eyes Down is a comedy starring Paul O'Grady as Ray Temple, the manager of a bingo hall in Liverpool, England called The Rio, although the series was filmed in Rayners Lane in London. Although it had moderate ratings, the programme only lasted for two series until it was cancelled by the BBC in 2004. The show was written by Angela Clarke and directed by Christine Gernon.
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Title: Celebrity Driving School
Released: February 1, 2003
Type: TV
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Title: Outtake TV
Released: December 24, 2002
Type: TV
Outtake TV is a blooper show originally hosted by Paul O'Grady from 2002 to 2003, then, by Anne Robinson from 2004 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2011, Rufus Hound. Robinson had been presenting the show 2004 to 2009 and airing on BBC One. It replaced the channel's original blooper show Auntie's Bloomers. The show consists of various clips past and present of bloopers of which Anne Robinson comments on with a manner comparable to her witty remarks on The Weakest Link which she also hosts. Various special episodes have been aired which consist of clips from one programme, most notably EastEnders or The Weakest Link. It is frequently repeated on Watch.
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Title: Harry Hill's TV Burp
Released: November 14, 2002
Type: TV
Harry Hill's TV Burp is a British television comedy programme that ran for 11 years from 2001 to 2012. It was produced by Avalon Television for ITV and hosted by comedian Harry Hill. The show presents a look at the week's television, including extracts from TV shows with added sketches, observational voice-overs, and guest appearances. The show is based on clips of the previous week of programming on television, frequently reinterpreting actions or lines of dialogue in a humorous way, or pointing out how views of props or sets amusingly resemble other objects, and often lightheartedly or sarcastically commenting on the actual intended content of the programme. To produce the show, Hill and his programme associate writing team, including Brenda Gilhooly, Paul Hawksbee, Dan Maier, Joe Burnside and David Quantick, watch significant amounts of television, much on preview tapes. Clips from a variety of shows across most channels are included in the show, with soaps, dramas and popular-factual series being the most commonly represented genres. The clips are shown outside of the context of their original programme and only limited information about the scene is given, as the focus of the show's treatment is on the often unintentional humour which can be derived from the scene. The show was filmed at Teddington Studios, Greater London, in Studio 1 for series 1 to 8. From series 9 to 11, the studio has been the BBC Television Centre in London.
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Title: Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Character: Self
Released: June 8, 2002
Type: TV
A gameshow hosted by Ant and Dec filled with stunts, sketches, and special guest appearances.
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Title: Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Character: Self
Released: November 2, 2001
Type: TV
Jonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band.
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Title: Lily Live!
Character: Lily Savage
Released: September 2, 2000
Type: TV
Lily Live! is a flamboyant live/scripted comedy show which was made by Carlton Television, which was broadcast for two series on ITV in 2000 and 2001 starring Paul O'Grady as Lily Savage. The show guest-starred the club act Gayle Tuesday and the actress Jayne Tunnicliffe.
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County Kilburn
Title: County Kilburn
Character: Himself
Released: August 17, 2000
Type: Movie
Along the kilometre stretch of Kilburn High road in London, there are twenty-eight pubs: that's one every thirty-six metres. Populated predominantly by the Irish, this area has come to be known as County Kilburn. Here we witness the loves, lives and laughs of a disparate group of dreamers, losers and ever-hopefuls.
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Lily Savage: The Live Show
Title: Lily Savage: The Live Show
Character: Lily Savage
Released: January 1, 1998
Type: Movie
Lily Savage performs her first live tour in four years, captured here at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. Lily pulls no punches in an act designed to demonstrate that, despite her mainstream television breakthrough with 'Blankety Blank', she is still as outrageous as ever.
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Title: The Lily Savage Show
Character: Lily Savage
Released: November 16, 1997
Type: TV
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An Evening with Lily Savage
Title: An Evening with Lily Savage
Character: Self (as Lily Savage)
Released: November 11, 1996
Type: Movie
An Evening with Lily Savage
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Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous
Title: Lily Savage: Live And Outrageous
Character: Lily Savage
Released: July 20, 1995
Type: Movie
From her Lambeth council flat to top billing on television and the West End stage comes the Scouse bombshell who's shaken British comedy to it's foundations; Lily Savage is live, loud and very, very funny.
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Title: The Ant & Dec Show
Released: April 6, 1995
Type: TV
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Fairest of Them All
Title: Fairest of Them All
Character: Voice (as Lily Savage)
Released: December 31, 1994
Type: Movie
Animated short set in the dressing room of several drag artists.
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Filth!
Title: Filth!
Character: Lily Savage
Released: April 24, 1994
Type: Movie
In the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty International “Secret Policeman’s Ball series”) to raise both awareness and raw cash for HIV/AIDS charities. The series was called Hysteria to reflect the hysteria (and downright untruths) surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS. The last one of these had been in 1989, so in 1994, Pozzitive set out to revive the idea of a fundraiser with “Filth!” a night of comedy and music at the Sadlers Wells theatre, on Sunday 24 April. In fact, so many comedians and writers said “yes” to the idea, that we hit on the notion of doing two shows in one evening back to back. The first show was hosted by Lynn Ferguson and Arthur Smith, the second show by Mark Lamarr. Artists involved in the show included Tom Robinson, Steve Coogan, Spitting Image, Eddie Izzard, Jo Brand, Jeremy Hardy and Ben Elton.
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In the Name of the Father
Title: In the Name of the Father
Character: Prisoner
Released: December 12, 1993
Type: Movie
A small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub that kills several people while he is in London. He and his four friends are coerced by British police into confessing their guilt. Gerry's father and other relatives in London are also implicated in the crime. He spends fifteen years in prison with his father trying to prove his innocence.
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Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent
Title: Lily Savage Live: Paying the Rent
Character: Lily Savage/Kitty Kelly
Released: March 10, 1993
Type: Movie
Multi award-winning TV personality Paul O'Grady stars as Lily Savage, the Scouse bombshell who catapulted him to superstardom. From her Lambeth Council flat to top billing on television and on the West End stage, the brash blonde shook the British comedy scene to its foundations throughout the 90s before eventually hanging up her heels for the very last time in 2004. This hysterical DVD spans Lily's career from her 1959 Miss Pears triumph to numerous shop-lifting convictions and finally her international sex-kitten status.
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Title: The Big Breakfast
Character: Lilly Savage (On the Bed Interviewer)
Released: September 28, 1992
Type: TV
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof. The programme was distinctive for broadcasting live from former lockkeepers' cottages commonly referred to as "The Big Breakfast House", or more simply, "The House", located on Fish Island, in Bow in east London. The show was a mix of news, weather, interviews, audience phone-ins and general features, with a light tone which was in competition with the more serious GMTV and even more serious BBC breakfast programmes.
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Title: Chimera
Character: Donaldson
Released: July 7, 1991
Type: TV
A journalist investigates the death of his girlfriend at a fertility clinic where she worked and uncovers a plot to create a new breed of human based on crossing the genetics of man and ape.
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Title: This Morning
Character: Self
Released: October 3, 1988
Type: TV
This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and competitions.
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Title: Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1988
Type: TV
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Title: The New Statesman
Character: Marlene Dietrich
Released: September 13, 1987
Type: TV
The New Statesman is a British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time.
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Title: The Bill
Released: October 16, 1984
Type: TV
The daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the streets of London. From bomb threats to armed robbery and drug raids to the routine demands of policing this ground-breaking series focuses as much on crime as it does on the personal lives of its characters.
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Title: Blankety Blank
Character: Lily Savage - Presenter
Released: January 18, 1979
Type: TV
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 January 2001 to 10 August 2002. This version was produced by Grundy, then Thames.
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Title: An Audience with...
Character: Self
Released: January 8, 1978
Type: TV
An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.
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The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show
Title: The Untransmittable Lily Savage Show
Character: Lily Savage
Released: December 31, 1969
Type: Movie
A specially created compilation of unused material from her incredibly successful 1998 BBC series