Linda Nolan has revealed how the late comedian Paul O’Grady was a mainstay for her throughout her continued life cancer trial.
Nolan, 64, shared a devastating update on her cancer diagnosis on Monday, revealing that the disease had spread to her brain.
The next day, her friend and comedian O’Grady died ‘peacefully’ at age 67 with his husband, Andre Portasio, who shared the news on Wednesday.
O’Grady and Nolan had been close friends for decades after touring together in Prisoner Cell Block H: The Musical from 1995 to 1997.
Reflecting on her long friendship with the Lily Savage star, Nolan said O’Grady would check on her often and she turned to him for support during her battle with cancer.
‘I loved him. He was such a good friend. Even though we didn’t live in each other’s pockets, he always picked up the phone or texted me out of the blue to see how I was doing,” she said. told The Sun.
Nolan described him as an “incredible talent” and added that he will be “dearly missed.”
In an Instagram tribute, Nolan had previously written, “Devastated by the passing of the incredible #PaulOGrady, a dear friend for at least 30 years.
“I was lucky enough to work with him and of course Lily in Prisoner Cell Block H: The Musical, what a time that was!
Such a great talent and great professional, he will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his partner, family and friends. RIP Paul.’
The Nolans singer was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2005, but learned in 2006 that she was in remission. In 2017, she was diagnosed with an incurable secondary cancer in her hip, which spread to her liver in 2020.
This week she told viewers of Good Morning Britain that the cancer has now spread to her brain and she will undergo radiotherapy.
O’Grady’s husband Portasio shared news of his “unexpected” death on Wednesday morning, confirming that he had passed away the previous evening.
A friend of the late TV star, The Avengers actress Linda Thorson, has since said he died in his own bed with his husband beside him.
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
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