[rick]

The outtakes of the BBC era are on Youtube and are in widescreen, perhaps as this was the final episode of the first series, it was recorded in 4:3 and series 2 went 16:9? Or they recorded the whole thing in 16:9 but for some reason only broadcast it in 4:3?

[James2001]

The second BBC series was 16:9, the first was 4:3.

And there were a few post-TOTP 4:3 shows other than those mentioned, the Autumn 2001 series of Crimewatch Daily, Kilroy was until the autumn of 2002 for example, so was a mid-00s BBC2 documentary called The Power Of Nightmares, and a series made about the Mitchell and Kenyon films that had recently been discovered, a mid-00s DIY show which I can't remember the name of (which I think was a co-production with UKTV, probably why it was in 4:3) and a couple of others.

[Jon]

After a year away, the daytime version of his chat show returned to ITV in November 2013, again at its previous time of 5pm. This ran for three series from 2013-2015. I don't recall any big farewell programme for this version - it seems like he simply stopped doing it.

By that point I recall that The Chase had started and was rating well, Paul’s show was replacing it and wasn’t rating as well, and we were in the ‘The Chase REPLACED and viewers aren’t happy’ stage, so it seemed like time had moved on really.

The relaunched ITV version seemed a bit off from what I remember. The McFly theme tune was fun and the set was nice but they never quite had the same punch as what went before. If anything Paul O’Grady Live felt more like a continuation of his former 5pm show.

[Brekkie]

Although perhaps understandable due to its long and complex history, it's irked me a little bit that a lot of the reports have gotten the dates of his chat show wrong. So, a brief history:

Paul had filled in for Des O'Connor on ITV's Today with Des and Mel. On the strength of this, he was given his own chat show, weekdays at 5pm from October 2004. This was successful almost immediately, it regularly beat Richard and Judy on Channel 4 in the ratings and the show won a BAFTA in 2005.

After a dispute with ITV when they "forgot" to renew his contract, and wishing for more creative control, the showed moved to Channel 4 in March 2006 and began to be made by his own production company. This continued until 2009 when, unhappy with proposed budget cuts, Paul signed a new deal with ITV and the Channel 4 show ended in December 2009 with a big farewell programme.

His initial run on ITV was very short then.   Do we know how long Lily was on The Big Breakfast for.    I know they left not too long after Gaby finished in 1996 (but was on with Zoe for a bit before Vanessa Feltz was bought in as a questionable replacement), but not quite sure when they replaced Paula.

[Blubatt]

Although perhaps understandable due to its long and complex history, it's irked me a little bit that a lot of the reports have gotten the dates of his chat show wrong. So, a brief history:

Paul had filled in for Des O'Connor on ITV's Today with Des and Mel. On the strength of this, he was given his own chat show, weekdays at 5pm from October 2004. This was successful almost immediately, it regularly beat Richard and Judy on Channel 4 in the ratings and the show won a BAFTA in 2005.

After a dispute with ITV when they "forgot" to renew his contract, and wishing for more creative control, the showed moved to Channel 4 in March 2006 and began to be made by his own production company. This continued until 2009 when, unhappy with proposed budget cuts, Paul signed a new deal with ITV and the Channel 4 show ended in December 2009 with a big farewell programme.

His initial run on ITV was very short then.   Do we know how long Lily was on The Big Breakfast for.    I know they left not too long after Gaby finished in 1996 (but was on with Zoe for a bit before Vanessa Feltz was bought in as a questionable replacement), but not quite sure when they replaced Paula.

He left ITV in January 2005, the show started in October 2004.

[Ash101]

His initial run on ITV was very short then.   Do we know how long Lily was on The Big Breakfast for.    I know they left not too long after Gaby finished in 1996 (but was on with Zoe for a bit before Vanessa Feltz was bought in as a questionable replacement), but not quite sure when they replaced Paula.

He left ITV in January 2005, the show started in October 2004.

January 2006 - surely?

[Tola]

Around December 2005 is when his last edition aired on ITV; his chat show then moved to Channel 4 (as VMPhill said) in March of the following year.

Anyway, not wanting to turn this thread into a debate, an episode of Lily Savage's Blankety Blank (the final series Paul did for the BBC):
youtu.be 

There was also "The Lily Savage Show" from the previous year which wasn't well received and was even hated by Paul himself from memory.

[VMPhil]

I sort of shortened the timeline so my post wasn't too long but yes, final ITV show was in December 2005 when the current series ended as usual for Christmas, then in January 2006 the announcement came he'd moved to Channel 4, first show on C4 was in March 2006.

[Tola]

The article itself confirming the move to 4:
www.digitalspy.com 

Paul O'Grady inks deal with Channel 4
ITV teatime star Paul O'Grady has signed a new daytime-exclusive deal with Chann…
  Source: www.digitalspy.com

[VMPhil]

By that point I recall that The Chase had started and was rating well, Paul’s show was replacing it and wasn’t rating as well, and we were in the ‘The Chase REPLACED and viewers aren’t happy’ stage, so it seemed like time had moved on really.

The relaunched ITV version seemed a bit off from what I remember. The McFly theme tune was fun and the set was nice but they never quite had the same punch as what went before. If anything Paul O’Grady Live felt more like a continuation of his former 5pm show.

I would agree with this. I remember feeling it didn't feel quite the same as the original run, but I'm still glad we got a few more years of it.