Paul O’Grady ties the knot with partner Andre Portasio in secret wedding
TV star Paul O’Grady has secretly married his long-term partner Andre Portasio.
Their wedding was attended by Sir Ian McKellen and Julian Clary.
The 62-year-old married Portasio at the Goring Hotel on 5 August with friends and family, as well as their star-studded guests.
Speaking to the Sun, a source revealed that the couple had wed in secret.
“Paul is as happy as he’s ever been to be married to Andre,” the source told the Sun.
“They kept the wedding to just their closest family and friends and had a big lunch afterwards to celebrate,” the unnamed source added.
The Sun reports that the couple got married in the hotel’s garden.
O’Grady married once before, to his friend Teresa Fernandes in 1977, to stop her from being deported.
They divorced in 2005. He also has one daughter, Sharyn, with friend Diane Jansen in 1974.
O’Grady has previously said he did not want to get married.
In 2014, asked what he thought of the legalisation of same-sex marriage, he said: “Why the f*** would I want to get married?
“I was married for 25 years to a Portuguese lesbian. I’m divorced. And I’ve a daughter of 40 and two grandkids.”
But he joked that he celebrated in his own unique way when same-sex marriage became legal.
He said: “I was in the back of the church in my veil, wailing.”
O’Grady recently claimed that the BBC is “too scared of offending people” to allow same-sex dance couples to compete on Strictly Come Dancing.
The popular reality dance contest show has repeatedly ruled out rumoured changes to include same-sex couples.
Strictly has featured same-sex dance segments in group routines, but only opposite-sex couples are permitted in the main competition element of the show.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood has previously called for changes to remove the gender rules – but former Strictly dancer James Jordan insisted the change would be “wrong” and could “lose so many viewers”.
Speaking on Radio 4’s The World Tonight, veteran TV host Paul O’Grady said he couldn’t see the change happening “in a million years”.
He said: “I wonder if it wouldn’t happen on the BBC. The BBC are doing this huge series celebrating gay culture, but I can’t see 7 O’Clock on BBC One, on Strictly, two couples of the same sex doing the paso doble across the dance floor. I could never see that happen in a million years.”
“I think they’re scared of offending people, particularly in the press.”
O’Grady is currently hosting the revival of Blind Date on Channel 5.
The beloved dating show, which was famously hosted by Cilla Black, will feature lesbians in an episode airing this week.
The TV host said of the show: “I think it’s about time, don’t you? Years ago, when Cilla was doing the show, it was mooted, but I don’t think the time was right.
“There was a bit of a hoo-hah about that then, but now of course [it’s different].
“We had a hoot, the audience loved it, and it was no big deal. That’s what I was so impressed about.”
