Paul O’Grady’s final act to bid goodbye to village he loved so dearly

Paul O’Grady’s funeral procession will now pass through his local village, Aldington, Kent, in honour of the presenter’s love for his community.

New details have come to light in regard to Paul’s send-off, which will include passing through his local town as a way of “marking Paul’s affection for Kent and the local area”.

In an announcement shared on Facebook by Paul’s husband Andre Portasio – the latest details of the funeral were explained.

Andre wrote: “I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of support and love I have received since the passing of our beloved Paul O’Grady.”

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He added: “I’m incredibly grateful for the support and love I have received from our community, and we want to thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity.”

Andre also revealed that although a private funeral would be held on April 20, he wanted to give residents of Aldington Village first notice. He then explained locals will get a chance to pay their respects to the comedian and presenter who died earlier this month.

Paul’s husband continued: “While the funeral will be a private ceremony, as many of you know, Paul cared a lot about his local community. We have therefore requested that the funeral procession passes through Aldington before heading to the church, as a way of marking Paul’s affection for Kent and the local area.”

Those in Aldington have been invited, on Thursday afternoon (April 20), to stand on the side of the main roads in the village as the procession passes through.

Paul O’Grady died on Mach 28, in his home village of Aldington. His death certificate later confirmed that the presenter had died from a from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.

The British Heart Foundation, describes sudden arrhythmic death syndrome – or SADS – as person dying suddenly following a cardiac arrest and no obvious cause can be found.

At the end of Andre’s statement to Aldington locals, he added: “We kindly ask everyone to respect the family’s wishes and maintain social distancing throughout the event. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.

“I thought I would share as I know he was so loved.”