Paul O’Grady is glad that elocution lessons failed to rid him of his Scouse accent.
The Lily Savage star said that teachers at his prep school tried to get him to speak in a “posh” voice.
But Paul said he ditched that after his brother and cousin both thumped him when he announced in his best snooty accent: “I’d really like a budgerigar.’’
Paul then flunked his 11-plus and went to a “little bit rough” secondary modern where he ended up speaking broad Scouse.
He said his accent had softened since he moved to London, but it was now “beautiful” and he had “no intention” of losing his Merseyside twang.
The 64- year-old favourite added: “I remember coming home one day and saying, ‘I’d really like budgerigar’, and getting punched off my brother and my cousin.
(Image: 2018 Dave J Hogan)
“And then I failed the 11-plus of course and went to a secondary modern school which was shall be say a little bit rough, and ended up speaking like this.
“And then I came down to London and softened my accent – well I think it’s softened and they think it’s softened when I go back.
“Look at the way I speak now… beautiful.
“But I did have a very thick Scouse accent, very, very thick.
“I still have got a Scouse accent and I’ve not intention of losing it either.
“People at drama school, they came out speaking frightfully posh.
“But I’ve hung onto mine. Sometimes I lay it on really thick with certain people.’’
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
