Paul O’Grady: ‘I was devastated’
Animal lover Paul O’Grady has been left heartbroken after the death of yet another of his pooches, Boycie
No one more than Paul O’Grady – presenter of TV show For the Love of Dogs – knows how much man’s best friend can touch your heart.
But they can also break it. When Paul’s beloved Shih Tzu/ bichon pup, Boycie, died recently, it left the star, 64, bereft.
Paul’s BBC radio producer, Malcolm Prince, broke the sad news, tweeting alongside a beautiful picture of Paul and his adorable hound: ‘A message from Paul… Sadly, he had to say goodbye to Boycie today. He asked me to share this photo.’
Fans of the much-loved Liverpudlian – who believes he recently had Coronavirus, but is on the road to recovery – were devastated for him, one tweeting, ‘So sorry, Paul, thank you for all the love and forever homes you give to animals.’ Another said, ‘He’ll be heartbroken. Paul is such a great ambassador for animals.’
Boycie wasn’t straighttalking Paul’s only pet, of course. The animal lover has a veritable menagerie at the rambling old country home in Kent that he shares with hubby, Andre Portasio, including several dogs, pigs, cows, sheep and a ‘decrepit but very feisty’ old donkey.
The pooch had been rescued by a friend – and suffered from epilepsy. Back in 2015, Paul explained, ‘I was on holiday and I told (my friend), “When I come back that dog had better not be at my house”. ‘Of course he was and within three days I said, “This dog ain’t going anywhere!”’
He added that Boycie reminded him of a previous dog of his, Buster, who died in 2009. ‘He’s just like him, it’s scary – he sits in Buster’s place on the step so he can see everything, he chases ducks, he stands on his hind legs… He’s a smashing little fella.’
Paul has lost two other dogs, including Bullseye, from an epileptic seizure last year. And Olga after ‘13 happy years’. ‘I was devastated,’ he recalled.
Paul says he’s loathe to get more dogs in the future, because of the heartbreak that follows. ‘Maybe a mongoose might twist my arm, but no I can’t handle it, it’s what I always say – invite an animal into your life, inevitably you invite heartache.’
Sadly, his words have come back to haunt him. But how much do you want to bet Paul will be wanting to add to his extended family soon, with another cute little pup…
‘Invite an animal into your life and inevitably you invite heartache’