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Lily Savage musical from beloved Coronation Street writer confirmed for 2027 and will tell life story of late Paul O'Grady
Savage is a "bold and deeply moving" new play, making its world premiere in 2027
JMEnternational/Getty Images
- Olivia Garrett
Published: Monday, 15 June 2026 at 3:17 pm
The life-story of the late Paul O'Grady is coming to the stage in 2027 for a new play all about his popular drag alter-ego Lily Savage.
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The television presenter originated the character back in 1978 at a pub in Camden, and became a mainstay of the London drag scene for a years before he made the full-time jump to television.
This new comedy will follow O'Grady's journey from the streets of Merseyside to London's club scene, and how he created "the fearless, foul-mouthed, unconventional alter ego who became an unlikely national treasure."
The show has been written by multi-award winning Coronation Street writer Jonathan Harvey who actually had the chance to pitch the show to O'Grady before his death in 2023.
Prior to this the late comedian said: "I’m delighted Jonathan (Harvey) has agreed to write the script, I really am, as he’s perfect for this and he’s such a great writer."
Paul O'Grady. Jon Furniss/WireImage
Following the recent announcement, Harvey commented: "I was so thrilled when Paul gave me the opportunity to turn his life story into a stage show. I first saw Lily in a scuzzy gay bar in West London in the late '80s and laughed ‘til I hurt, so it’s an honour indeed to bring his story and the colourful escapades of the blonde bombsite herself to life.
"This is one of those few shows that I’m involved in where I can go ‘You need to come. It’s really good’... because the zinging one-liners are all his. It’s so sad he’s not here to see it, but hopefully this will be a fitting testament to everything he achieved, and a cracking night out full of humour and heart."
Savage will have its world premiere in 2027 at the Leicester Curve and will then head to Liverpool Playhouse (16 to 20 March), the Lowry in Salford (23 to 27 March), Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre (30 March to 3 April), Theatre Royal Bath (6 to 10 April), Norwich Theatre Royal (13 to 17 April), and Birmingham Hippodrome (20 to 24 April). It will then come to London's West End.
As to who will be playing Lily Savage, it was previously announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard would be taking the reigns. Their work includes Hollyoaks, The Traitors: Uncloaked, Celebrity Big Brother, and stage shows like Sleeping Beauty at the Wolverhampton Grand and the UK tour of The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical.
The show will be directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde, The Sound of Music), with further cast, creatives and ticket details to be announced soon.
Check out the Going Out section and our new theatre podcast In the Interval.
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Plus, check out our War Horse review and High Society review.
Authors
Olivia Garrett
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