Paul O'Grady's funeral will take place this week and his fans have reportedly been invited to line the streets to mourn.
The 67-year-old comedian and presenter died at his home on March 28 "unexpectedly but peacefully" according to his husband, Andre Portasio. It was later confirmed the Lily Savage star died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
The British Heart Foundation describes sudden arrhythmic death syndrome - or SADS - as a person dying suddenly following a cardiac arrest where no obvious cause can be found. Before his death, Paul had spoken openly about his battles with heart disease and had endured three heart attacks before the age of 65.
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Widowed Andre has revealed that a private funeral will take place on Thursday, April 20. Reportedly sharing the news alongside a picture of Paul wearing white angel's wings, Andre said locals can join the streets to see the procession pass through Aldington.
A private memorial is also planned for Port Lympne Safari Park, where the 67-year-old was a regular visitor, the Mirror reports.
He said: "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. Your kind messages, beautiful flowers, and thoughtful texts of condolences have brought me comfort and solace during this difficult time.
"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. As a mark of respect and as Paul would have wanted, we will be holding a private funeral on Thursday, 20th April 2023.
"This information has not been made public, but I wanted to share it with local residents. 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 the area. We would therefore like to invite all locals to join us in paying our respects to Paul in Aldington Village between 14:10 - 14:45 on Thursday.
"In order to avoid road congestion and public disorder, we kindly ask all residents to treat this invitation personally and if attending to stand on either Roman Road, Forge Hill, or New Road Hill so to respect the villagers and the local area.
"Please note for public safety Church Road as well as Knoll Hill will be closed on the day of the procession. 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."
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