Paul O' Grady's daughter opens up about seeing her dad as Lily Savage for first time: 'It was a lot to take in'

Virgin Radio

28 Mar 2024, 16:32

Paul O'Grady's daughter has spoken about seeing her father perform as Lily Savage in the new documentary The Life and Death of Lily Savage — and called it 'a lot to take in'.

Liverpool-based Sharyn was born in May 1974 (when Paul was 18) and is the daughter of him and his former work colleague, Diane Jansen. She has now opened up about initially meeting her father's on-stage persona in the documentary based on his groundbreaking career.

As well as Sharyn, the upcoming ITV programme will feature interviews with Paul’s sister, Sheila Rudd, friends Sir Ian McKellen, Julian Clary, Jools Holland, Jo Brand, Alan Carr and Graham Norton.

She explained: "As I got older, I went to see Lily. It was a lot to take in because he was my dad at the end of the day and he had six inch heels on with a massive blonde wig.

"I wasn't allowed to see a lot of Lily when I was little, I think because of the language and I didn't understand a lot of the jokes anyway.

"Lily had an evil tongue, didn't she? I mean, my dad did as well, but I think he'd get away with more dressed as a character."

She added: "He'd say things that he couldn't say as Paul, so Lily got away with murder."

"He used to leave me in the flat and go and work. I used to love looking at his makeup. I remember walking round the flat with his thigh high boots thinking I was all grown up, I was about thirteen."

Although she admitted it was 'a lot to take in', she soon became accustomed to the character. She recalled: "I remember going to the shops and getting tights for him and the guy would say: 'Are you coming in for your dad's tights?'. I'd be like: 'Yeah, have you got tan and black?'. That was just normal."

Sharyn recalled her seventh birthday party and her dad's antics. She explained: "I was about seven when I was having a birthday party, and my dad said, 'Oh, I've got a surprise for you.

"He swallowed this fluid and then started fire-eating in my mum's little flat. There were scorch marks on the ceiling.

"All the girls were screaming... I was mortified. I was seven, I wanted him to be like a clown."

The self-confessed formerly 'ill-prepared for parenthood' star previously said in an interview: "My grandkids add the greatest reward of fatherhood. I became a dad at the age of 17 and didn't really get to see a lot of my daughter when she was little

"But I did with the grandkids watching them grown up is just wonderful. I think My God, I've kept the chain going."

The Life And Death Of Lily Savage airs Good Friday at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.