Trunk from Birkenhead-born entertainer given new lease of life on The Repair Shop
Experts on the BBC's The Repair Shop have worked on a large travelling trunk that once belonged to Birkenhead-born performer Paul O'Grady, after it was brought into the workshop by his husband, Andre Portasio.
The item was examined on the programme by bookbinder Chris Shaw, who described the trunk as "looking a bit worse for wear" and pointed out broken pieces that were "all over the place". The trunk had been a prominent, sentimental object in the couple's home and was said to have been placed at the entrance to their house.
"It's a very important travel trunk. This belonged to my late husband, Paul O'Grady," Andre Portasio told viewers on Wednesday's show.
Andre explained that although the trunk had eventually belonged to Paul, it had originally been owned by another famous figure, the performer Gypsy Rose Lee. According to Andre, Paul found the trunk at an American auction and, as a fan of Gypsy Rose Lee, made it part of their household.
During the episode the contents of the trunk were revealed and described as "very personal memories". Among the items shown to viewers were a photograph of the couple on a roller coaster, an invitation to their wedding and a certificate confirming Paul's role as an ambassador for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Andre said he had not opened the trunk until after Paul's death and was surprised by the material inside.
Local life and national career
The programme also touched on Paul's early life and career. Andre recounted Paul starting out as a drag queen in the gay London scene before moving into mainstream entertainment, with work on television and in pantomime. Paul O'Grady, who was originally from Birkenhead, died in 2023 at the age of 67 from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Andre reflected on their life together. He said the couple had been together for 18 years and had taken 11 years to decide to marry; following the wedding they were husband and husband for six years. "When he asked me to get married, in my mind, it was forever. I just didn't think that forever would only sadly last six years," he said on the show.
Items recovered from the trunk
The Repair Shop segment highlighted both the trunk's physical repair and the emotional value of its contents. The following items were shown on screen:
- Photograph of Andre and Paul together on a roller coaster
- Wedding invitation
- Certificate confirming Paul was an ambassador for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
| Item | Significance |
|---|---|
| Travelling trunk | Originally owned by Gypsy Rose Lee; bought by Paul at an American auction; sentimental household piece |
| Photograph | Personal memento showing the couple together |
| Wedding invitation | Record of marriage after 11 years together |
| Battersea certificate | Confirms Paul's public role as an ambassador |
For Birkenhead residents, the story is a reminder of a local figure who rose to national prominence while remaining linked to his hometown by birth and early life. The Repair Shop's restoration not only fixed a damaged object but also helped preserve a set of personal items that chart a partnership and career.
The episode offered viewers a close look at how objects can carry memory and identity, and how conservation work can reopenprivate histories. For Andre, the trunk was not just a piece of furniture but a repository of shared life and achievement — a tangible link to a man who began in the gay clubs of London but whose origins lay in Birkenhead and whose humour and charity work won him a national audience.
That connection to Birkenhead remains part of Paul O'Grady's public story, and the repaired trunk will now form part of the wider record of his life as seen by viewers across the country.
