Paul O'Grady celebrated for his love of animals as late star's last-ever series finishes

"You can tell this was more than just a job."

Dan Seddon
Updated ·3 min read
Embargoed until 00.01am on Tuesday 26 March 2024 From Olga TV and Silver Star PAUL OGRADY’S GREAT ELEPHANT ADVENTURE Sunday 31 March 2024 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX Pictured: Paul O’Grady meets the Elephants at The Elephant Nature Park, which is the largest elephant rescue centre in Thailand, In this opening episode, Paul travels to the hills surrounding the ancient city of Chiang Mai, 400 miles north of Bangkok and known as the elephant capital of Thailand. He visits The Elephant Nature Park, which is the largest elephant rescue centre in Thailand, providing refuge and a retirement home for ex-working elephants since it was founded over 20 years ago. Next, Paul heads to Sukhothai to meet extraordinary British expat Katherine who quit the rat-race in London to set up Boon Lotts Elephant sanctuary in rural Thailand 15 years ago. This stunning 500- acre jungle playground is home to her nine elephants, and she takes on the challenge of teaching Paul how to become a mahout, an elephant handler. Charged with looking after three of Katherine’s elephants, aka the Gossip Girls who all have foot problems that need constant attention, Paul is also given a crash course on how to use a machete, as well as learning the unusual vocabulary that man and elephant share – to mixed results... While in the area, Paul also pays a visit to the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital, the world’s first ever elephant hospital. Here he meets the extraordinary elephant Motala, who lost a leg after standing on a land mine. Now recovered, Paul’s on hand to help take her out for a walk – with the use of an extraordinary prosthetic leg. (C) Olga TV and Silver Star For further information please contact Peter Gray Mob 07831460662 / peter.gray@itv.com This photograph is (C) *** and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned herein. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms
Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure. (ITV)

What did you miss?

Fans are mourning all over again after the final TV appearance of the late Paul O'Grady went out on ITV tonight (7 April).

Filmed around Thailand at the end of 2022, Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure was just the latest programme illustrating the presenter's deep-rooted love for the animal kingdom.

It consisted of two episodes and aired 13 months after the former drag queen (Lily Savage was his iconic moniker) tragically passed away from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.

From Olga TV and Silver Star PAUL OGRADY’S GREAT ELEPHANT ADVENTURE Sunday 7th April 2024 on ITV1 and ITVX Pictured: Paul O’Grady arrives at the Elephant Conservation Centre in Laos by longboat In this second and final episode of the series, Paul’s heading south near the beaches of Hua Hin to the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, the country’s biggest wildlife hospital. Looking after any animal in need, the WFFT is sanctuary to 24 elephants mostly rescued from ‘entertainment camps’, where they performed in circuses, or work tirelessly in trekking camps taking holidaymakers for a ride. Paul then crosses the Thailand border to neighbouring Laos – it’s nicknamed the ‘land of million elephants’ but sadly in reality, there are now less than 800 left in the country. To help arrest this startling decline in numbers, Paul heads to the Elephant Conservation Centre near Luang Prabang in the north, home to the country’s only breeding programme, to learn about what is being done to try and boost the elephant population. Paul then ends his elephant adventure by taking part in stunning Bacci ceremony, a religious Laotian ritual overseen by a local shaman to help bring good luck and fortune for the future of the Asian elephant. It’s an emotional moment for Paul giving him the chance to reflect back on all the amazing elephants he’s meet during his time in the South East Asia. (C) Olga TV and Silver Star For further information please contact Peter Gray Mob 07831460662 / peter.gray@itv.com This photograph is (C) *** and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned herein. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms
The star passed away in March 2023. (ITV Studios)

What, how and why?

Throughout the bittersweet second episode, O'Grady visited retired Asian elephants previously enslaved by the circus and tourist trades - scrubbing their feet and feeding them handfuls of bananas as he did so - as well as a Bengal tiger that had spent much of her life chained to a table so people could take pictures with her.

O'Grady's trip also took him to one of the largest elephant conservation facilities around, before meeting a fellow Liverpudlian whose job was to re-wild some of the giant creatures in Laos. But his Great Elephant Adventure couldn't be complete without being invited to a traditional good luck ceremony known as a Baci.

Embargoed until 00.01am on Tuesday 26 March 2024 From Olga TV and Silver Star PAUL OGRADY’S GREAT ELEPHANT ADVENTURE Sunday 31 March 2024 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX Pictured: Paul O’Grady meets the Elephants at The Elephant Nature Park, which is the largest elephant rescue centre in Thailand, In this opening episode, Paul travels to the hills surrounding the ancient city of Chiang Mai, 400 miles north of Bangkok and known as the elephant capital of Thailand. He visits The Elephant Nature Park, which is the largest elephant rescue centre in Thailand, providing refuge and a retirement home for ex-working elephants since it was founded over 20 years ago. Next, Paul heads to Sukhothai to meet extraordinary British expat Katherine who quit the rat-race in London to set up Boon Lotts Elephant sanctuary in rural Thailand 15 years ago. This stunning 500- acre jungle playground is home to her nine elephants, and she takes on the challenge of teaching Paul how to become a mahout, an elephant handler. Charged with looking after three of Katherine’s elephants, aka the Gossip Girls who all have foot problems that need constant attention, Paul is also given a crash course on how to use a machete, as well as learning the unusual vocabulary that man and elephant share – to mixed results... While in the area, Paul also pays a visit to the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital, the world’s first ever elephant hospital. Here he meets the extraordinary elephant Motala, who lost a leg after standing on a land mine. Now recovered, Paul’s on hand to help take her out for a walk – with the use of an extraordinary prosthetic leg. (C) Olga TV and Silver Star For further information please contact Peter Gray Mob 07831460662 / peter.gray@itv.com This photograph is (C) *** and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned herein. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms
His love for animals was celebrated by fans. (ITV Studios)

How did fans respond to O'Grady's last-ever TV appearance?

As you'd expect, O'Grady's posthumously released work has kept his death rather fresh in the minds of his fanbase.

Posting on social platform X as the Great Elephant Adventure wrapped up with an on-screen tribute, many watchers were keen to celebrate his adoration of animals that was explored throughout much of his later years.

"Paul is a true animal icon & the animals absolutely loved him across the globe. Thank you Paul for all what you did for the animals over the years!" read one message.

Paul O'Grady's Great Elephant Adventure can be streamed on ITVX.

Read more:

Watch: The late Paul O’Grady gives an elephant a bath in final documentary appearance