'Portrait of a gifted entertainer' launches with two live events next month

Paul O’Grady’s long-serving radio producer has written a book about their 20 years working together.

Malcolm Prince worked with the comedian on documentaries and seasonal specials as well as his Sunday afternoon Radio 2 show which ran for 14 years.

The book – Paul O’Grady: Not The Same Without You – will be published on November 6, with Prince also taking part in two live events to launch it.

O’Grady’s daughter Sharyn said she ‘couldn’t think of anyone better to capture the essence of the man we all loved’.

And Prince said of his erstwhile colleague: ‘He was a campaigner, a political advocate, and a trailblazer. But most of all, he was a friend. And I'd like to share that person with you.'

According to publishers HarperNonFiction, the book ‘tells never-before-heard stories of the much-missed national treasure, featuring the great and the good of the entertainment world, his unlikely friendship with the Queen, his departure from the BBC, and a ghost story or two thrown in for good measure’ – with Malcolm believing that he’s being haunted by O’Grady.

Birkenhead-born O’Grady – who started his career on the comedy and cabaret circuits as drag act Lily Savage – died at his home in Kent on March 28, 2023, aged 67, from sudden cardiac arrhythmia – having previously suffered three heart attacks. 

HarperNonFiction adds that the broadcaster’s years working with Prince ‘were filled with lots of laughs, countless rants and an abundance of drama [and] the same could be said for Paul’s life’.

‘In Not The Same Without You, Malcolm tells the stories that Paul didn’t get to share himself. It’s a treasure trove of anecdotes and memories, all drawn from Malcolm’s extensive collection of private recordings and interviews with the people that knew Paul best.

‘This is a portrait not just of a gifted entertainer, but of a complex, fiercely loyal, and endlessly curious man, reflecting on a friendship built on shared laughter, private rants, righteous fury, long phone calls, and a healthy dose of Gossip and on a professional legacy that still feels astonishing in its range and resonance.’ 

The book will be launched with two ‘in conversation’ events with author Prince. Jo Brand will interview him at the Garrick Theatre London on November 2 (Tickets here, priced £39 to £59 including a copy of the book) and Jodie Prenger will host a similar event at the Liverpool Empire on November 9, both at 5pm. Tickets for the Liverpool show go on sale on Monday here.

• Order Paul O’Grady: Not The Same Without You from Amazon, priced £11  – or from uk.bookshop.org, below, which supports independent bookstores and which has just launched an ebook service.

Published: 2 Oct 2025