The late entertainer Paul O’Grady is set to take to the screen one final time as TV bosses prepare a touching farewell for the beloved star.

The Life and Death of Lily Savage will be screened on ITV1 this Easter, along with his final TV project, Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure, with the shows marking the first anniversary of Paul’s death.

The feature-length documentary will feature Paul’s daughter Sharyn, interviewed for the first time about her father, alongside other close family and friends such as Graham Norton, Julian Clary and Sir Ian McKellen.

O’Grady, who lived in Aldington near Ashford, died suddenly last March at the age of 67 due to cardiac arrhythmia – though his husband confirmed he passed away peacefully whilst smoking a cannabis joint.

Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual at ITV, told the Mirror: “This blue chip feature-length documentary reveals the little-known biography of Paul's alter ego Lily - from her birth in the docks of Liverpool to her mysterious 'death' on mainstream TV.

"Set against the background of social and political change and upheaval, it features Paul's own voice and those who were closest to him - including his daughter Sharyn.

“This is a layered and richly entertaining tribute to the wonderful Paul O Grady.”

Paul’s final TV project will also air for the first time on the same channel, with Paul O’Grady’s Great Elephant Adventure coming out as a two-part series.

Having been in Thailand and Laos filming for the project in December 2022 before completing the voiceovers just weeks before he died, the show will follow the Birkenhead-born star through the two countries.

The series will look to celebrate the work done by conservation centres to rescue, rehabilitate and protect elephants – something Paul was passionate about.

Clare Barton, executive producer at makers Silver Star said: “It was an honour and a privilege to make Paul’s final TV project with him out in SE Asia, coupled with the opportunity to pay tribute to him with a deep dive into the life of his most famous creation - Lily Savage.

“It has been very emotional and moving to interview the people who knew him best and to delve into the golden archive of Paul in his absolute prime.”

The much-loved star rose to fame with his drag queen persona Lily Savage in the 1980s and 1990s before going on to host a string of television programmes.

O'Grady had previously survived three heart attacks in 2002, 2006 and 2014 and suffered kidney failure. He talked very openly about his battle with Covid in April 2020.

The star's most notable appearance came on his daytime chat show The Paul O’Grady Show which began airing in 2004, followed by the New Paul O’Grady Show.

In 2008 he was made an MBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment.

O’Grady took over the reins from Blind Date’s long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, to host the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017.

He also fronted Blankety Blank, as well as ITV’s multi-award-winning For The Love Of Dogs.

In 2022, he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode filmed at the Battersea rescue centre in Brands Hatch.

He passed away on March 28 last year.