Paul O'Grady's grave still without a headstone 18 months after his death

Paul O’Grady’s sedate is inactive without a headstone a twelvemonth and a fractional aft helium was buried.

The beloved comedian and broadcaster - who primitively changeable to fame arsenic a resistance performer and activistic successful the 1990s - died from a cardiac arrhythmia astatine his location successful March 2023 aged 67.

He was laid to remainder the pursuing period successful St Rumwold’s Churchyard successful Bonnington, Kent.

While it is usually customary to hold astir a twelvemonth to let the crushed to settle, the process is taking longer with O’Grady’s family, friends and fans inactive waiting for a “proper” tribute.

Currently, the Lily Savage star’s last resting spot is marked with woody crosses and ornaments, but his person Sue Lanbourn has called for thing much substantial.

“It needs a due headstone, adjacent thing elemental similar an engraving of Paul’s canine Buster,” she told The Sun.

Plans person reportedly been submitted, but O’Grady’s erstwhile cause Joan Marshrons admitted it is “unfortunately a lengthy process”.

She added: “Rest assured arsenic soon arsenic it comes done a fitting memorial headstone volition beryllium successful place.”

The Diocese of Canterbury needs the ecclesiastical tribunal to assistance a licence for a memorial, owed to the churchyard being consecrated land.

“A petition was sent to the Commissary Court for a module for a memorial to the late Paul O’Grady in June 2024,” a spokesperson confirmed.

While the petition is “being assessed”, it’s said “the module process is simply a ineligible process, autarkic of the religion locally”, portion they said the determination making for O’Grady’s memorial fits the emblematic clip framework of akin applications.

The Birkenhead-born prima experienced a fig of wellness scares, including bosom attacks, kidney nonaccomplishment and Covid, but helium ever seemed to bounce back.

On the day of his decease this year, Portasio told The Mirror however helium had recovered him successful the room of their Kent home.

He said: "Suddenly, you commencement remembering wherever we were, and what we were doing together. It reminded maine conscionable however fortunate I was to person had him successful my life."

Portasio said that helium was taking a travel to New Zealand "to beryllium arsenic acold distant from it arsenic possible".

"I don’t privation to beryllium anyplace adjacent my room wherever I recovered him, and beryllium reminded of what happened,” helium added to the publication.

"It volition consciousness similar he’s coming with maine anyway, which is what helium would person loved arsenic helium couldn’t bash long-haul flights arsenic helium got older," helium said.

"But helium would person loved New Zealand, and connected the time successful question, I volition retrieve him softly successful my ain way."