{{Short description|Irish broadcaster (1946–2025)}} {{Other people}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2025}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Henry Kelly | image = Henry Kelly hosting 'After Dark' (cropped).jpg | caption = Kelly hosting ''After Dark'', 1988 | birth_name = Patrick Henry Kelly | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1946|4|17}} | birth_place = Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2025|2|25|1946|4|17}} | occupation = {{hlist|Television presenter|radio DJ|actor|journalist}} | years_active = 1968–2015 | alma_mater = University College Dublin | spouse = Marjorie Conway (divorced) | partner = Karolyn Shindler | children = 2 }}
'''Patrick Henry Kelly''' (17 April 1946 – 25 February 2025), better known as '''Henry Kelly''', was an Irish radio and television broadcaster and journalist who was based in the United Kingdom.
==Early life== Kelly was born in Dublin on 17 April 1946 and grew up in Athlone, County Westmeath.<ref>{{cite news |title=Henry Kelly obituary: a versatile broadcaster who charmed audiences on 'Going for Gold' and 'Game for a Laugh' |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/henry-kelly-obituary-a-versatile-broadcaster-who-charmed-audiences-on-going-for-gold-and-game-for-a-laugh/a1368205952.html |date=26 February 2025 |work=Irish Independent |access-date=30 April 2025}}</ref> He was educated at Belvedere College and University College Dublin. At the latter he was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society. Whilst at university he wrote theatre reviews for ''The Irish Times''.<ref name="Where">'Where Are They Now – Going for Gold's Henry Kelly', ''The Daily Express'', 26 November 2016.</ref>
==Journalism== After graduating from University College Dublin with a degree in English in 1968, he became a journalist with ''The Irish Times'', and was promoted to become Belfast-based Northern Editor in 1970, at the start of civil unrest and The Troubles in Northern Ireland, a post which he held for five years.<ref name = Hayward>{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/feb/27/henry-kelly-obituary|title = Henry Kelly obituary|last = Hayward|first = Anthony|date = 27 February 2025|accessdate = 3 March 2025|work = The Guardian}}</ref> During his time in Northern Ireland, he published the book ''How Stormont Fell'' (1972), which is still highly regarded in its field.<ref>Profile of Kelly, 'Fletcher Associates Media Agency' website (2018).</ref> In 1976, he left ''The Irish Times'' and moved to London to work as a reporter for the British Broadcasting Corporation on its Radio 4 ''The World Tonight'' programme.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/735372/Going-For-Gold-Henry-Kell-where-is-he-now|title=Going For Gold's Henry Kell on life and career |website=Express.co.uk|date=26 November 2016 |access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Henry_Kelly|title=Henry Kelly |website=Ukgameshows.com|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref>
==Television== In 1980, in a career change at the age of 34, Kelly abandoned print journalism and pursued a career in television, presenting light entertainment shows. Whilst at university, Kelly had been a friend of the family of Terry Wogan, and he was drawn to try to emulate Wogan's career path by the professional success Wogan was experiencing by the late 1970s with the BBC.<ref name="Where"/>
In 1981, Kelly secured a co-presenter slot on the United Kingdom's ITV television channel with the London Weekend Television prime-time light-entertainment show ''Game for a Laugh'', which was a ratings success and made him a household name in the country.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} He remained with the show until 1983. In June 1983 Kelly joined TV-am, and co-hosted the Saturday edition of ''Good Morning Britain'' with Toni Arthur. He was also a regular stand-in presenter on the weekday programme and presented ''Summer Sunday''. On Saturday 3 January 1987 he hosted RTE's ''Saturday Live''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tv-am.org.uk/presenters |title=TV-am Presenters |access-date=6 January 2017 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003155627/https://www.tv-am.org.uk/presenters |url-status=dead }}</ref> He left TV-am in 1987, and from 1987 to 1996 he presented ''Going for Gold'', a lunchtime television quiz show on BBC1, with contestants from across Europe.<ref name = Hayward/>
In 1988, he briefly returned to journalism and chaired ''After Dark'', on 13 August, for the "Derry '68" episode. He had previously appeared on the programme discussing the activities of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, which he had witnessed first-hand as a journalist in the early 1970s.{{cn|date=February 2025}}
In 2000, he appeared as a quiz show host in the final two episodes of the Victoria Wood sitcom ''dinnerladies''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/578972/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: dinnerladies (1998-2000) Credits|website=Screenonline.org.uk|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref> Kelly had previously worked with Wood on her show ''Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV'' in the 1980s. He also appeared occasionally on Sky News television reviewing Sunday newspapers.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
==Radio== In 1992, Kelly was one of the launch presenters of Classic FM, initially presenting the weekday mid-morning show from 9 am to noon, then later 8 am to noon. He then moved on to the Breakfast Show, until he was replaced by Simon Bates in June 2003. He returned between 2006 and 2008 to present a three-hour show on Sunday mornings.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5239948.stm |title= Henry Kelly returns to Classic FM |work=BBC News |date=2 August 2006 |access-date=5 January 2010}}</ref>
In September 2003, Kelly took up the Drivetime slot on a London news-and-talk station LBC 97.3. In February 2004 he declared himself bankrupt thirteen years after the Inland Revenue had sued him for the non-payment during the 1980s of income tax and national insurance contributions.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/feb/14/politicalcolumnists.guardiancolumnists |title=An Englishman's word is his bond |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |first=Simon |last=Hoggart |date=14 February 2004 |access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> At the end of 2004, Kelly and some of LBC's most experienced presenters, such as Brian Hayes and Angela Rippon, did not have their contracts renewed.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
Kelly spent two weeks in June 2005 presenting the late show on BBC Radio London 94.9, and in September 2005 took over the weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio Berkshire from 10 am to 1 pm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/05/18/radioberks_henry_kelly_feature.shtml|title=Henry Kelly|website=Bbc.co.uk|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref> He later presented a Saturday mid-morning show for the station until 2015.<ref name = Hayward/>
==Other work== In 2013, Kelly presented a series of filmed adverts for a Golders Green used car dealership and garage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JvEj5Ryg4M|title=Henry Kelly introduces Woodstock Motors - North London's best-loved car garage|date=April 2013 |access-date=9 June 2021|publisher=YouTube}}</ref> He was also the narrator for most of Video 125's ''Driver's Eye Views'' of Irish railways. {{cn|date=February 2025}}
==Personal life and death== Kelly was in a relationship with journalist Karolyn Shindler, and they resided in Hampstead, North London.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/my-hampstead-broadcaster-henry-kelly-rails-against-cyclsts-children-in-3451458|title=My Hampstead: Broadcaster Henry Kelly rails against cyclists, children in pubs and school traffic|first=Tom|last=Marshall|date=10 August 2013|newspaper=Hampstead Highgate Express|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref> A previous marriage to Marjorie Conway ended in divorce.<ref name="bbc obit"/><ref name = Hayward/> He had a daughter from his first marriage and a son from his relationship with Shindler.<ref name = Hayward/> Kelly enjoyed golf and in 1994 he won the inaugural William Roache Charity Classic Invitational, held at Woburn.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
Kelly died on 25 February 2025, aged 78.<ref name="bbc obit">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn04y7dg68ko|title=TV presenter and journalist Henry Kelly dies|date=26 February 2025|work=BBC News}}</ref>
==Publications== * ''How Stormont Fell'' (1972), {{ISBN|978-0717106325}} * ''Classic FM Musical Anecdotes'' (1998), {{ISBN|978-0340728819}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0446420|name=Henry Kelly}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20201126135524/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4045514 Henry Kelly] at the British Film Institute
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Henry}} Category:1946 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Alumni of University College Dublin Category:Auditors of the Literary and Historical Society (University College Dublin) Category:Classical music radio presenters Category:Irish expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Irish game show hosts Category:Irish radio DJs Category:Irish radio presenters Category:Irish television presenters Category:The Irish Times people Category:People educated at Belvedere College Category:People from Athlone Category:Television presenters from the Republic of Ireland Category:Broadcasters from County Westmeath Category:20th-century Irish journalists Category:Writers from County Westmeath