Paul O'Grady is set to return to Liverpool next year for a star turn in the beloved musical Annie.
The Birkenhead -born comedian, presenter and writer will tread the boards at the Liverpool Empire, donning a blonde wig once again to play the role of the wicked Miss Hannigan. This is the first time Paul has played the part since 1998.
The 67-year-old shot to fame through his sharp-tongued drag persona, the lovable lush Lily Savage. Iconic Lily first became known and loved on the London gay scene before achieving mainstream success.
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Since then, Paul has shed the wild persona of Lily and carved out an impressive career in his own name. His work in the spotlight has seen him at the helm of chat shows, penning books, and dedicating much of his time and energy to animal rescue.
Speaking to the ECHO, Paul said he only accepted the role of Miss Hannigan after the producer employed an unusual persuasion tactic. He said: "The producer got me drunk - we'd been rehearsing and we went the pub and we were just talking about musicals and I said - like a fool - that the only musical I'd ever do was Annie.
"So then I was roped in and because of work [commitments], I can only do seven weeks." He added: "I'm old, I'll be 68 next year."
Paul will share the role with several others - including Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood - with Paul performing as the spiteful character at numerous locations including Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Southampton, Dublin and Bristol, as well as the new Wimbledon theatre. Of the places he'll perform, Paul said: "They're in places I like as well. I'm going to the Empire, which is a lovely theatre. It's got a massive stage - they always want to spread [things out and fill the space] but I tell them, 'come on, I'm getting on'.
"I always had a soft spot for Annie and I got on extremely well with Michael Charnin, who wrote it. He said I was his favourite. I never thought I was a good Miss Hannigan but he said I was his favourite. It's such a lovely show, it's so well written and well constructed.
"It's such fun, the villains are the best - I've never played a good guy. Every telly job, I've always been sleazy. Nobody has ever rung me up and said, 'we've got a part here for a priest'. It's just not going to happen."
After sharing the news of his casting with his Instagram followers, Liverpool-born Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall commented that she hoped to attend and watch the show. Over his tenure in the entertainment industry, there are many famous faces Paul can count as friends.
Reflecting on this with the trademark, down-to-earth warmth and self deprecation that has secured his standing as a national treasure, Paul said: "When I was doing the chat show and the evening show, I'd never met Kim before, and she came on and we just got on like a house on fire. She's great.
"I never thought I'd be pally with the likes of Cagney and Lacey, either but you meet these people and once you get over that initial shock, you can get to know them.
"I get star-struck - the first time I met Bill Roache (Ken Barlow in Coronation Street), I stood in awe. It was the same with Bob Greaves (the late Granada TV host) - it's somebody you've grown up with, you've seen them in your living room for years. Bob Greaves meant more to me than Madonna."
Of people who get star-struck around him, Paul said: "I get embarrassed, I say 'oh give over'." Though he's spent decades of his life in the public eye, the star doesn't like having his photo taken. When writing his memoirs, it was a struggle to find photos from his childhood because he "used to run away" from the camera - quite the paradox for someone so brilliantly at ease in front of it.
Another of Paul's passions is animal rescue. Since 2012, he's presented Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs, a documentary-style series which chronicles the efforts of the team at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The series is something Paul has said he'll "probably do until [he] dies". Of the filming experience, he said: "I go in two or three times a week for three to four months; they have to follow the story through.
"It's upsetting as well, [but] it's a nice show to do. Sometimes it takes about 10 takes - I'll go into the kennel and see the state of some of the dogs and [I'll swear] or say [the abusers] want stringing up, so they'll ask me to do it again and I say, 'it's shocking'. Cruelty to kids and animals, forget it - I get quite rattled. They're very vulnerable."
Paul used to work for child services, too. He said: "It doesn't toughen you up. It makes me disgusted and sad, when you see what some of them go through." Next year, he'll also be venturing to Thailand for more work with animal rescuers.
He said: "I'm going to Thailand after this to see the elephants. They've been abused, they take babies from mothers, they're abused by the tourism trade."
Paul added: "I'm really lucky, I've filmed with every baby animal going. Tiger cubs and elephants is my next thing - tiger cubs, elephants and Annie, how's that for a mixture?"
Annie will be at the Liverpool Empire from Monday, June 5 until Saturday, June 10, 2023. You can buy tickets here.
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