Paul O’Grady is commemorated with rainbow plaque outside London home

A rainbow plaque has been unveiled in honour of the late gay icon Paul O’Grady outside his former home in south London.

Dozens of friends, family and fans gathered on Friday 21 June to see O’Grady’s widower, André Portasio, unveil the monument honouring his legacy.

The rainbow plaque is positioned at Victoria Mansions in Vauxhall, where O’Grady lived between 1985 and 1995.

“It was where Paul honed his craft” – André Portasio unveiling the Paul O’Grady rainbow plaque at his former home

Taking to Instagram to mark the occasion, Portasio wrote a heartfelt message: “It was a great honour to unveil the plaque and to see Paul recognised in a place that meant so much to him,” he penned.

“Victoria Mansions was more than just a home. It was where Paul honed his craft, found his voice as Lily Savage, formed friendships that lasted a lifetime, and became part of a close-knit community that he would champion and fight for throughout his life.”

He thanked David Robson and Lambeth Council for making it happen. “What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it comes from the community itself – at a grassroots level, in the very place where his journey began,” wrote Portasio.

“Paul never forgot where he came from” – Portasio remembering his late husband, O’Grady

“Paul never forgot where he came from, and it feels fitting that his legacy is now permanently remembered there.”

In attendance were the likes of drag queen Danny Beard, LGBTQ+ and human rights activist Peter Tatchell, Frankie Goes to Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson and more, all remembering the late star’s legacy.

O’Grady is remembered as a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community, celebrated for his witty television presenting and, of course, his utterly perfect drag persona, Lily Savage.

The late icon died unexpectedly but peacefully on 28 March 2023, just days after O’Grady had finished touring with the musical Annie, in which he played Miss Hannigan.

O’Grady and his drag persona Lily Savage will be honoured in a new play

O’Grady was a formidable presence on British TV. He hosted the Bafta-winning talk show The Paul O’Grady Show, Blankety Blank, celebrity game show Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up, and the reboot of Blind Date.

As well as the rainbow plaque, O’Grady and his drag persona will be honoured in an upcoming play, titled Savage, starring Danny Beard.

SAVAGE will premiere on 13 February 2027 at Curve Leicester, before going on tour and transferring to London’s West End.