PAWS for celebration

PAUL O'GRADY on joining forces with Camilla, Queen Consort, to mark Battersea's milestone anniversary

- STEVEN PERKINS, HANNAH DAVIES

PAUL O’GRADY: FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS – A ROYAL SPECIAL

MONDAY, 9PM, ITV1 FACTUAL 

Paul O’Grady is delighted to be helping celebrate 160 years of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home with a right royal edition of his ITV1 show For the Love of Dogs.

The charity turned 160 in 2020, but due to the pandemic, celebrations were put on hold until this July, when Paul attended a special garden party to honour Battersea’s work, hosted by the now-former Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, who became Queen Consort in September following the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Her Majesty, who has been Battersea’s Royal Patron since 2017, and Paul also visited the organisation’s Brands Hatch site in Kent, where they hoped to find some of its resident dogs a forever home in time for Christmas.

Here, Paul, 67, talks us through the special episode…

How did you find filming with the then Duchess of Cornwall?

She’s really funny, and we get on well. You don’t feel like you’re on ceremony with her. I always get a big hug and kiss from her, which always shocks everybody!

Camilla is dog-mad, and she’s got Battersea dogs of her own already – two Jack Russells [Beth and Bluebell, who Her Majesty adopted in 2011 and 2012].