Although Paul O’Grady’s fans were moved to tears as they lined the streets to show their appreciation for him, there were still light-hearted moments on the day of his funeral.
Inside the village church where it took place, an organ malfunctioned during the service, causing his friends and family to burst into laughter.
Reverend Roger Martin was left cringing when the organ, which needed to be pumped by hand, suddenly failed.
“We tried it before the service started, you have to pump and keep it up at a certain level and something has gone wrong right at the wrong moment,” he exclaimed.
However, the vicar added that all was not lost as “we were able to turn it into a moment of fun”.
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The laughter inspired by the gaffe is exactly the type of atmosphere many predicted Paul would have wanted at his funeral.
Meanwhile, the closing music that ended the service – ‘(If You’re Looking For) Trouble’ by Elvis Presley – was equally apt.
Paul had previously become emotional as he celebrated the life of the late Blind Date star Cilla Black by playing the track on his radio show eight years earlier.
He said the cheeky song perfectly “[summed] up our relationship”, in reference to the wild nights out the pair often had before her death in 2015.
Paul joked that he’d introduced her to bars, burlesque shows and nightclubs “with such reputations that taxi drivers were always unsure [about dropping us off]”.
The tales of their mischievous exploits everywhere from New York to Barbados to the pair’s native Merseyside became legendary over the years.
Despite Cilla accidentally breaking his nose on one occasion, and getting trapped inside a window on another, Paul declared he “absolutely adored” her.
He lamented after learning of her death: “We discussed my funeral a number of times and she had a major role in it which involved a mantilla and lilies. I’m going to have to re-think that now, aren’t I?”
However, organisers still ensured there were lilies present on the coffin, and a life-size 3D version of his late dog Buster, placed beside it, was constructed from them too.
Meanwhile, a bronze statue of the beloved Bichon Frise, which had previously been displayed at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, appeared in the church during the funeral service, perched on a leopard print throw.
The vicar clarified that the mood had been “very jolly” at the funeral, adding to the PA news agency: “There were some recordings of Paul, favourite clips, a good selection of varied music, it was light-hearted. It was a moving occasion.”
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