O’Grady set to sign £8m TV deal

Paul O’Grady is set to return to ITV in a £8m (€8.6m) deal.

The chat show host – who said in 2006 that he would “rather sweep the streets” than work with the channel again – is reportedly set to sign the lucrative two-year contract today.

The move will see O’Grady get a prime-time Friday night slot and go head to head with the BBC's ‘Friday Night With Jonathan Ross’ programme.

His present daytime show on Channel 4 is said to be facing the axe after the channel announced budget cuts of up to 60%.

O’Grady, 54, previously said: “Channel 4 are a great bunch of people to work with and the crew are lovely. Working at ITV was like the court of Caligula.”

O’Grady – who rose to fame as drag queen Lily Savage - had also been in talks with Sky One, but the camp comedian has reportedly been lured to ITV by the promise of the lucrative slot and working less hours.

A source close to the deal told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “This will give Paul the best of both worlds – less work but a big show on a mainstream channel in a primetime slot.

“ITV want him to be their answer to Jonathan Ross and plan to expand on his current daytime show by pulling in bigger names, including A-list celebs.

“Paul has a great way of relaxing his interviewees so he’s sure to get great guests onto the show.”

After O’Grady launched an attack on former executives at ITV - many of whom have now left the channel - in 2006, he was banned from the ITV studios.

In retaliation, O’Grady declared: “I’m not going to work for these petty tyrants anymore.”