Paul O’Grady has threatened to quit his BBC Radio 2 show because he feels "forgotten".
The 62-year-old presenter claimed he’ll take up a deal with a commercial station because he’s unhappy with his "ropey" fee for his Sunday afternoon slot, despite reportedly being paid a six-figure sum.
Speaking about Eurovision on air with his producer Malcolm Prince, Paul made his comments after being told BBC Director General Tony Hall would be in Lisbon, Portgual, for the musical event this weekend.
He said: "Oh old Tone, is he going? Is he a big fan? Just tell him my pay packet is looking ropey when you have a word with him."
And the ‘For the Love of Dogs’ host also slammed the station for not having equal pay for its female stars.
He continued: "The women aren’t getting the full wack, the men are getting more and then there’s poor old Paul O’Grady who doesn’t even exist any more, who’s buried in the basement of Wogan House who you’ve forgotten is on the air.
"I’m sure they have. I never get a mention. Have you noticed I never get a trail or anything?
"I’m going to kick off, I’m going to go to commercial radio, I really am – adverts galore.
"I’ll be there condemning you all – there’ll be a twisted curse on you all at Wogan House!"
Meanwhile, Paul recently revealed he came close to death filming ‘For the Love of Dogs: India’ in Delhi after contracting a life-threatening virus after touching stray dogs and removing maggots out of a rat bite on one of the canines.
He said: "Getting ill was my own fault.
"They said to me, ‘Keep off the streets, it’s Delhi’.
"But I was lying in the gutter with these two gorgeous little puppies.
"I’m feeding them by hand and flicking maggots out of a rat bite, and of course I must have touched my mouth or my face – you forget. When you work with animals, you’re not squeamish.
"At five o’clock in the morning I’m still vomiting. 10 o’clock at night, I’m still at it. They called the doctor and he said you’re going in because you’re so dehydrated.
"When I got in there, they said your white blood cells are going berserk, you’re heading for renal failure."
Paul was told by doctors he’d need to stay in hospital, but he left and got straight back to work after being treated with antibiotics, which left him feeling "doddery" and breathless.
The comedian – who has survived three heart attacks – also nearly caught rabies and spent two weeks being tested, along with members of the film crew, to see if they had a tapeworm infestation.
Paul O’Grady makes quit threat
