Popular TV personality Paul O'Grady has spoken out about how he was impacted by Covid-19. The presenter has shared details on the lasting impact the illness has had on him.
Paul caught the virus in July while in Malta filming the second series of Sally Lindsay’s The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
Former Lily Savage star Paul recalls: “I managed to escape coronavirus until last year and then I caught it. I didn’t half get it; I was really ill," the Mirror reports. “I’d go out to feed the pigs and I’d have to sit down two or three times on my way there, wheezing.”
His heart doctor took an X-ray and diagnosed Paul as a recovering Covid victim. Paul, 67, host of the long-running ITV series For the Love of Dogs, spent the summer recuperating at his Kent farm.
He recalls: “All I did was sleep. I’d wake up, go downstairs and sit on the couch and then pass out for another four hours. “I’d get up, have a cup of tea and then go back to bed and sleep all night, it was very odd. I just felt terrible with it. I’ve never slept so much in my life. I’d had all the jabs, but it just finished me off.
“Thank God I’m over it now, but at one time I thought: ‘Is this ever going to go? Am I ever going to get my energy back and stop being tired?’ It wasn’t pleasant.”
Paul has also spoken about how his popular Radio 2 Sunday evening programme came to an end last summer after being asked to share the time slot with comedian Rob Beckett, each doing 13 weeks before taking a break. Paul explained: “I was a bit narky when they asked me to share the slot. My hackles rose and then I thought, I’m going to honour my contract.
“I’m going to give my notice in properly and I’m going to go with no complaints, no bitching and no tears and just say ‘thank you very much for having me’ and then leave.
“Some of the listeners said to me they thought I was very dignified.
“They were expecting full guns blazing! But it’s a shame because I always loved Radio 2.
“It seems to be that both telly and radio are terrified of an older audience. It makes me laugh.
“They assume that teenagers are going to be dancing to Radio 2 on a Friday night. Are you out of your mind? They don’t listen to the radio. They should have left Radio 2 alone for the older listener.” Even without the radio show, Paul still has plenty going on.
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