Blind Date host Paul O’Grady, 62, marries his ballet dancer partner Andre Portasio, 37, in secret ceremony at posh London hotel
BLIND Date host Paul O’Grady has married his ballet ace partner in a secret wedding.
The star tied the knot with Andre Portasio — 25 years his junior — in front of just 50 guests.
Paul, 62, and Andre, 37, a former dancer with the English National Ballet, had been dating since 2006.
A close friend said: “Paul is as happy as he’s ever been to be married to Andre.
“They kept the wedding to just their closest family and friends and had a big lunch afterwards to celebrate.”
The pair got hitched in a 30-minute ceremony in the gardens of The Goring Hotel, central London, on August 5.
Guests including actors Ian McKellen, 78, and Michael Cashman, 66, and comedian Julian Clary, 58, then enjoyed champagne on the private lawn and canapes including smoked salmon pancake rolls and Dorset crab cornets.
The wedding reception menu included cured sea bream and glazed ox cheek.
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The marriage brought joy to Paul who suffered heatbreak in 2005 when his boyfriend Brendan Murphy died suddenly aged 49.
Brendan, who Paul called “my best friend and manager”, suffered a brain tumour days before Paul turned 50.
A year later, the Lily Savage star met up with Andre — who was introduced to him by Brendan before his death.
On their wedding certificate it says Paul’s previous marriage was “dissolved”.
This refers to his marriage of convenience in 1977 to Portuguese model Teresa Fernandez which ended in 2005.