Paul O'Grady fans say star was 'ahead of his time' as famous advert resurfaces

11 April 2023 , 05:12

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Paul O'Grady fans say star was 'ahead of his time' as famous advert resurfaces

Paul O’Grady’s fans have been treated to a throwback clip of the time he took part in an advertising campaign for Pretty Polly tights.

The comedian passed away aged 67 last month, sparking an outpouring of grief across the UK.

A TV special was broadcast on Easter Sunday in a bid to honour his life. For the Love of Paul O’Grady took viewers on a journey through the much-loved presenter’s life and career.

However, there was one segment that stood out for viewers the most, with the retelling of Paul’s drag career sparking discussions across social media.

The Birkenhead-born star's alter ego, Lily Savage, was seen as an LGBTQ+ icon, appearing on TV shows including Blankety Blank and Blind Date.

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A TV special celebrating the life of Paul O'Grady was broadcast over the weekend (Getty Images)

However, one advertising campaign she starred in continued to make waves years later.

Lily was featured in a TV advertisement as the face of Pretty Polly tights, in which she was filmed modelling the hosiery.

Viewers couldn’t help but point out that the clip was ahead of its time and that attitudes towards drag have seemingly gone backwards, given the recent bans in the US.

One Twitter user wrote: “Watching the Paul O’Grady tribute show. Imagine the backlash today if a drag queen was used to advertise tights”.

Another added: “Watching the ITV tribute #fortheloveofpaulogrady and just thinking how the Lily Savage tights ad, which were not a problem then, would not be shown today. Sad how many steps back we have gone.”

Paul's alter ego, Lily Savage, was much-loved and respected in the UK (Nikki English/REX/Shutterstock)

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“In the late 90s they had the famous drag queen Lily Savage fronting family game shows, morning breakfast shows and the face of ladies tights. Now there would be absolute carnage at the thought”, a third echoed.

Another penned: “Seeing all this about Lily Savage really highlights how crazy public figures are for saying Paul O Grady wasn’t ‘woke’. The fact that he wasn’t afraid to speak against things like the aids controversy is what made him so great.”

Many compared the response to Lily Savage to the recent attacks on transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney.

After documenting her transition online, Dylan landed deals with brands such as Nike and Bud Light, which caused a backlash against the trans community.

One Twitter user wrote: “The difference in reactions between Paul O’Grady starring in a tights advert in the 90s and the current backlash against Dylan McVaney shows just how far western society has fallen recently on LGBTQ rights.”

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