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Gerry Kelly (broadcaster)

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Gerry Kelly
Born(1948-09-20)20 September 1948
Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Died26 July 2026(2026-07-26) (aged 77)
Coney Island, County Down, Northern Ireland
OccupationsBroadcaster and journalist
Years active1977–2024
Known forKelly
SpouseHelena
Children2

Gerard Kelly (20 September 1948 – 26 July 2026) was a Northern Irish broadcaster and journalist, best known for his presenting career at UTV where he presented the Friday night talk and variety show Kelly from 1989 until 2005.

From April 2009 to December 2019, he worked at BBC Radio Ulster, presenting on Fridays and Saturdays.

Early life

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Gerard Kelly was born on 20 September[1] 1948 on Thomas Street in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. His parents were originally from Derry, where his father worked in the shirt industry, and the family moved to Downpatrick in the early 1950s. Much of Kelly's childhood was overshadowed by his father's alcohol problem. In the early 1960s, his father left on the pretext of going to Scotland for work, and Kelly never heard from him again.[2]

Before going into broadcasting and journalism, Kelly worked as a teacher and a lecturer at St. Mary's College in Belfast,[3] and as a leisure development officer for Belfast City Council.[4]

Broadcasting career

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Kelly's broadcasting career began at Ulster Television as a part-time Gaelic games reporter, but he left the station quickly after being blacklisted by the National Union of Journalists.[5] After a year's work experience at the Down Recorder, he returned to UTV in 1979 as a reporter, and later presenter, of its evening magazine programme, Good Evening Ulster.[3]

Kelly also presented the series Lifestyle, Kelly's People, Kelly on Tour, Kelly on the Road,[3] What Next?,[6] Get It Right Next Time,[7] and Pick of the Six for Ulster Television.[8] He also presented a radio show Kelly on the Radio on Downtown Radio.[citation needed]

In September 1989, he began presenting the popular talk and variety show, Kelly, which aired for 571 episodes. Notable guests included a 9-year-old Rory McIlroy, who appeared in 1999 after winning the world under 10s championship, and George Best, who appeared in a special edition in 2000. The Best episode was the highest-rated, with 367,000 viewers.[9]

In May 1999, Kelly was among the names tipped to succeed Gay Byrne as the host of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One. The position ultimately went to Pat Kenny.[10]

In September 2005, UTV announced that Kelly would end. Kelly said that UTV were unhappy with the show airing at 9:00 pm, as the slot required the station to opt out of ITV's network schedule. Rather than move the programme, UTV decided to axe it. The final episode aired on 16 December 2005.[11][12][13]

After the cancellation of Kelly, a new series, Gerry Meets..., launched in March 2006.[14] The series focused on one-to-one interviews.[15] One 2006 episode, featuring Kelly's interview with Jimmy Savile, received widespread coverage six years later after the Savile sexual abuse scandal broke. Particular attention was paid to comments Savile made that were interpreted as clues to his history as a predatory sex offender.[16][17][18][19]

In January 2008, it was reported that Kelly had left UTV. He told the Belfast Telegraph, "I'm leaving UTV on amicable terms and I have nothing but the highest regard for them. As far as I'm concerned, they gave me one of the best jobs in the world and I'm grateful to them for that."[20]

In March 2009, it was announced that Kelly would join BBC Radio Ulster to present a Saturday afternoon programme, commencing in April.[21] He began a Friday afternoon programme in 2014. He left the Friday role in October 2019 and continued with the Saturday show until later that year.[22]

In November 2023, it was announced that Kelly would present a new series, Conversations with Gerry Kelly. He said the programme would not rival RTÉ's The Late Late Show, despite speculation that both shows might air around the same time.[23] In January 2024, it was confirmed that the ten‑part series would be broadcast on Monday nights from 29 January 2024 on Belfast‑based channel NVTV.[24]

Personal life and death

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Kelly was married and had two daughters.[25] He was a member of Ardglass Golf Club and lived in Coney Island, County Down.[26][25] He was also the brother of former Down GAA goalkeeper Danny Kelly.[5]

In February 2018, Kelly said he had been diagnosed with cancer two years earlier. He reported that the tumour had been successfully removed and that he had completed six chemotherapy sessions.[27] Kelly died at his home on 26 July 2026, aged 77.[28]

Tributes

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Following Kelly's death, musician Peter Corry said he had been "a big champion of mine" and a good friend. Broadcaster Ralph McLean described Kelly as "a natural broadcaster". Deputy First Minister Emma Little‑Pengelly said he had been "a face and a voice" familiar to generations across Northern Ireland.[29]

Awards

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In 1993, he received the Sony Gold Award for a special programme following the Shankill Road bombing. In 1998, Kelly was installed in the Royal Television Society Hall of Fame in recognition of his contribution to broadcasting. He also received two Entertainment and Media Awards.[25]

References

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  1. ↑ "Gerry celebrates his birthday with a new series of Kelly". Impartial Reporter and Farmers' Journal. 19 September 2002. p. 35. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "'My father was dead to me day he walked out' – Gerry Kelly". Belfast Telegraph. 5 October 2008. Sunday Life. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Kelly: The man who talked the talk with celebrities". Belfast Telegraph. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  4. ↑ Little, Ivan (27 January 2025). "Gerry Kelly recalls his 16 years on TV and 5,000 guests … and reveals all-time worst interviewee". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Oh brother! Big TV break was a complete fluke..." Belfast Telegraph. 8 October 2008. Sunday Life. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  6. ↑ "What Next?". BFI Film & TV Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009 – via bfi.org.uk.
  7. ↑ "Get It Right Next Time". BFI Film & TV Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009 – via bfi.org.uk.
  8. ↑ "UK Game Shows: Pick of the Six". ukgameshows.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  9. ↑ "By George, Gerry's show scores as the Best attraction". Belfast Telegraph. 15 November 2000. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
  10. ↑ "Stepping into the shoes of Uncle Gay". The Irish Times. 8 May 1999. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Curtain falls on the Kelly Show". Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
  12. ↑ "Plea to save programmes from axe". Belfast Telegraph. 22 October 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
  13. ↑ "Corr! What a line-up as Kelly bows out". Belfast Telegraph. 11 December 2005. Sunday Life. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  14. ↑ "Friday night comeback for TV host Gerry"; Belfast Telegraph, 1 March 2006; accessed 18 January 2009
  15. ↑ Let's talk; Belfast Telegraph, 25 February 2006; accessed 18 January 2009
  16. ↑ "Jimmy Savile told interviewer, 'I don't do underage sex'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  17. ↑ Mackay, Don (26 October 2012). ""All children should be eaten at birth": Jimmy Savile denied sex abuse in 2006 interview". mirror. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  18. ↑ "I don't do under-age sex: Savile". Express.co.uk. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  19. ↑ "Unearthed: Jimmy Savile tells journalist 'children should be eaten at birth'". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  20. ↑ "'It's time to move on,' says UTV's Kelly". Belfast Telegraph. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Radio Ulster welcomes Gerry Kelly to its Saturday schedule". bbc.co.uk (Press release). BBC. 5 March 2009. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  22. ↑ "Broadcaster Gerry Kelly dies aged 77". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  23. ↑ Little, Ivan (19 November 2023). "Gerry Kelly: My new chat show isn't a rival to the Late Late". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  24. ↑ McGurk, Helen (25 January 2024). "Broadcaster Gerry Kelly gets personal with new series – and first up is former UTV colleague Eamonn Holmes". News Letter. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  25. 1 2 3 Hailes, Anne (26 July 2026). "Anne Hailes: Gerry made media history with the Kelly Show". Irish News. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Gerry Kelly profile". u.tv. Archived from the original on 27 January 2008.
  27. ↑ "Broadcaster Gerry Kelly urges men to seek medical help when needed"". Irish News. 26 February 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  28. ↑ Reid, Kurtis (26 July 2026). "'A star and a gentleman': Tributes as broadcasting legend Gerry Kelly dies aged 77". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  29. ↑ Bradfield, Philip (26 July 2026). "Tributes to former UTV broadcaster Gerry Kelly after he passes away". The News Letter. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
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