Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady to return to teatime TV

Paul O'Grady is set to make his return to a teatime talk show slot with a new programme for ITV.

Sharon Horgan's effort was the pick of Sky1's latest lot of Little Crackers but honourable mentions must go to Paul O'Grady and Jason Manford.

It was great to see O'Grady back as Lily Savage, while Manford was very brave basing his tale on his own teenage circumcision.

He even got to dress up as a big-breasted blonde nurse. So maybe all that business on Skype was for research after all.

The fabulous Lily Savage makes a welcome return to our TV screens tonight when chat show host and comedian Paul O'Grady steps up to pull his Little Cracker. Inviting his drag queen alter ego to make a cameo appearance, O'Grady spins a dramatic anecdote out of a teenage trip to see The Exorcist - a spine-chilling experience that spooks the adolescent Paul (Robin Morrissey) out of his wits, finding cold comfort from his no-nonsense mam (Alison Steadman). The tale's a hoot but this cracker really takes off when Savage lets rip in all her foul-mouthed glory in the behind-the-scenes follow-up.

After the success of Chris O'Dowd's Moone Boy and Kathy Burke's Walking And Talking it was hard not to expect big things from Sky1's latest lot of Little Crackers.

But I can't see any of this year's first batch making it to a full series. Joanna Lumley's much-hyped look back at her early modelling days was particularly uninspiring. But with efforts from the likes of Paul O'Grady, Sharon Horgan and Jason Manford still to come this week perhaps we shouldn't give up all hope just yet.

Paul O'Grady: Panto is thriving

You would imagine Paul O'Grady was born to play the dame in panto - but in fact he was never a fan and had not appeared in one until ten years ago.

Paul O'Grady: I've never stopped playing Lily

Paul O'Grady talks to Metro about revisiting his alter ego Lily Savage in pantomime, writing his latest autobiography and training his menagerie of pets.

Robbie Williams is tonight's big guest, and doubtless he'll dominate the sofa with that full-beam charm and laddishness he's so famous for. Or maybe now he's a dad he'll have become all sensible and possibly even a bit tired after those broken nights. We shall see.

Sharing the limelight in the studio will be Paul O'Grady, whose recent ITV1 series about cute abandoned canines, For the Love of Dogs, was a surprise ratings hit, and new Strictly Come Dancing judge, ballerina Darcey "Yah" Bussell will bring some poised glamour.

Savage by name: Why is Paul O'Grady so angry?

The comedian and TV presenter is in no mood to forgive and forget - and, he tells Patrick Strudwick, his list of wrongdoers starts with Jimmy Savile.

Paul O'Grady interview

Paul O'Grady reckons his love of animals could soon see him take to the streets - and be carted off by police. The popular host has four dogs, 14 sheep, two pigs and eight piglets, hundreds of chickens, ducks and even two owls at his home in Kent.

Monarchs of the entertainment world rather than royalty are the subject of this engaging three-parter celebrating some of showbusiness's most flamboyant performers. It does promise some serious intent, reflecting on how the likes of Paul O'Grady, Graham Norton and Elton John have changed attitudes to homosexuality. But it's the performances from the archives that really glitter.

This opener looks back to the Dark Ages in 1952, and features such shining stars as Danny La Rue and Liberace. Contributors include Cilla Black, Julian Clary, Ronnie Corbett, Boy George and Arlene Phillips.