Paul O'Grady: Doncaster Olympic star Sarah Stevenson pays tribute to 'lovely man' she worked with on TV show

The double world champion and Olympic bronze medallist was among a host of names praising the Lily Savage star after his death at the age of 67 was announced yesterday.

Sarah, who hails from Bentley, worked with the comedian and presenter on an edition of The Paul O’Grady Show back in 2009 and shared a picture of them together on the show, which saw the tae kwondo star surprise a group of young fans.

She said: “What a day this was - kicking through a paper wall on TV to surprise these little fans of mine.

“What a lovely man - Mr O’Grady made us all feel so welcome and at ease. My mum was in her element. RIP.”

“He had some young martial artists on his show and their idol was me so I came through the wall and surprised them.”

Sarah, who now lives in Liverpool with her family under her married name Jennings, won Great Britain’s first ever Olympic medal in taekwondo, a bronze, at the 2008 Games in Beijing, her third Olympic competition for her country and following on from becoming world champion in 2001.

Controversially eliminated before the medal rounds, she was reinstated following appeal and went on to win the bronze medal final.

She again became world champion in 2011, despite the loss of both her parents, to cancer in the proceeding year.

Sarah was selected for her home games in London in 2012, where she took the Olympic oath at the opening ceremony on behalf of all the athletes but missed out on a medal due to being hampered by injury in the build up to the competition.

In 2013, she announced her retirement from competition, and her intention to take up a coaching role in the Great Britain team, but she has since stepped down on the role to concentrate on being a mum.

She was made an MBE in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to martial arts and in January 2014 was made a freeman of Doncaster.

Mr O’Grady died "unexpectedly but peacefully" on Tuesday evening, his husband Andre Portasio said in a statement.

O'Grady rose to fame in the 1990s with his drag queen persona Lily Savage, going on to present BBC One game show Blankety Blank and other light entertainment programmes.

Later in his career, he went on to host a number of chat shows, and also brought his love of dogs to the screen.

"It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening," Mr Portasio said.

"He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.

"I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years."