Paul O'Grady's widow Andre Portasio recalls heartbreaking moment the comedian ... trends now

Paul O'Grady's widow Andre Portasio has spoken out about the heartbreaking moment the comedian died in their home last year.

The beloved comedian passed away aged 67 on 28 March 2023 from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.

Andre has travelled to New Zealand in recent days as he couldn't bare being at home for the one-year anniversary of Paul's death.

Speaking to The Mirror, Andre told how nothing was out of the ordinary that day and the comedian had been in good spirits in the morning.

At one point, Paul went into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea and Andre heard a loud bang. 

As the couple lived in an old, noisy house, Andre thought nothing of it at first and thought Paul had probably stepped out to the cottage nearby they were renovating.

Andre said: 'I walked to the kitchen to start putting some food on, and I started taking things out of the fridge. And all of a sudden, I could see him lying on the floor.

'I just didn't know what to think at first. He had a cut on his forehead, and I thought he was probably just unconscious. I called the ambulance and they said the best chance to keep him alive was to do CPR.'

Andre tried desperately to save his husband's life, saying he was 'exhausted' by the time the ambulance arrived.

The ambulance crew spent an hour trying to resuscitate Paul and at one point told Andre he was breathing. It was short-lived however and they pronounced him dead soon after.

Recalling the heartbreaking moment, Andre said: 'Somehow Paul's dog Arfur, who is one of his favourites, escaped and he nuzzled his face as he always did on Paul's shoulder, as if to say 'wake up'. It was just heartbreaking.'

Andre found Paul's birthday in June very difficult and also struggled at Christmas, cancelling a planned meal with Paul's family and spending the day alone.

One thing that helped him cope was the 'outpouring of love' for

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