Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
I was saddened when I read the news yesterday that Northern Irish broadcasting legend Gerry Kelly had died. Gerry was a gentleman through and through. Anything he was associated with on TV or radio was informative, well worth watching and usually had fun moments. His Kelly Show was always on our TV on Friday nights.
Gerard Kelly ( 1948 – 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.
Gerard Kelly was born on 20 September 1948 on Thomas Street in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. His parents were from Derry, where his father worked in the shirt industry. The family moved to Downpatrick in the early 1950s. Much of Gerry's childhood was overshadowed by his father's alcohol problem. In the early 1960s, his father left for Scotland for work. He was never heard from again.
Before broadcasting and journalism, Gerry Kelly worked as a teacher and a lecturer at St. Mary's College in Belfast, and as a leisure development officer for Belfast City Council.
Gerry's broadcasting career began at Ulster Television as a part-time Gaelic games reporter. He left this and did a year's work experience at the Down Recorder. In1979 he returned as a reporter, and later presenter, of its evening magazine programme, Good Evening Ulster.
Over the decades Gerry Kelly also presented the series, Lifestyle, Kelly's People, Kelly on Tour, Kelly on the Road, What Next?, Get It Right Next Time, and Pick of the Six for Ulster Television. On top of this he presented a radio show, Kelly on the Radio, on Downtown Radio.
In September 1989, he began presenting the popular talk and variety show, 'Kelly', which aired for 571 episodes. The Kelly Show ran for 17 years, including 1,000 hours of live TV, interviews with over 3,500 guests and music from more than 1,500 performers. Among his most memorable UTV shows, Gerry welcomed home Beirut hostage Brian Keenan, hosted a George Best special, invited music star Garth Brooks to Belfast and had an eight-year-old Rory McIlroy chipping golf balls into a washing machine. The Best episode was the highest-rated, with 367,000 viewers.
In September 2005, UTV announced that Kelly would end. The final episode aired on 16 December 2005.
After the cancellation of Kelly, a new series, Gerry Meets..., launched in March 2006. The series focused on one-to-one interviews.
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."
In March 2009, it was announced that Kelly would join BBC Radio Ulster to present a Saturday afternoon programme, commencing in April. 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.
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. 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.
Gerry Kelly was married and had two daughters. He was a member of Ardglass Golf Club and lived in Coney Island, County Down. He was also the brother of former Down GAA goalkeeper Danny Kelly.
In February 2018, Gerry 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. He died at his home on 26 July 2026, aged 77.
Tributes
Following Gerry Kelly's death, musician Peter Corry said he had been "a big champion of mine" and a good friend. Broadcaster Ralph McLean described Gerry 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.
Awards
In 1993, he received the Sony Gold Award for a special programme following the Shankill Road bombing. In 1998, Gerry 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.
What a guy!
I was saddened when I read the news yesterday that Northern Irish broadcasting legend Gerry Kelly had died. Gerry was a gentleman through and through. Anything he was associated with on TV or radio was informative, well worth watching and usually had fun moments. His Kelly Show was always on our TV on Friday nights.
Gerard Kelly ( 1948 – 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.
Gerard Kelly was born on 20 September 1948 on Thomas Street in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. His parents were from Derry, where his father worked in the shirt industry. The family moved to Downpatrick in the early 1950s. Much of Gerry's childhood was overshadowed by his father's alcohol problem. In the early 1960s, his father left for Scotland for work. He was never heard from again.
Before broadcasting and journalism, Gerry Kelly worked as a teacher and a lecturer at St. Mary's College in Belfast, and as a leisure development officer for Belfast City Council.
Gerry's broadcasting career began at Ulster Television as a part-time Gaelic games reporter. He left this and did a year's work experience at the Down Recorder. In1979 he returned as a reporter, and later presenter, of its evening magazine programme, Good Evening Ulster.
Over the decades Gerry Kelly also presented the series, Lifestyle, Kelly's People, Kelly on Tour, Kelly on the Road, What Next?, Get It Right Next Time, and Pick of the Six for Ulster Television. On top of this he presented a radio show, Kelly on the Radio, on Downtown Radio.
In September 1989, he began presenting the popular talk and variety show, 'Kelly', which aired for 571 episodes. The Kelly Show ran for 17 years, including 1,000 hours of live TV, interviews with over 3,500 guests and music from more than 1,500 performers. Among his most memorable UTV shows, Gerry welcomed home Beirut hostage Brian Keenan, hosted a George Best special, invited music star Garth Brooks to Belfast and had an eight-year-old Rory McIlroy chipping golf balls into a washing machine. The Best episode was the highest-rated, with 367,000 viewers.
In September 2005, UTV announced that Kelly would end. The final episode aired on 16 December 2005.
After the cancellation of Kelly, a new series, Gerry Meets..., launched in March 2006. The series focused on one-to-one interviews.
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."
In March 2009, it was announced that Kelly would join BBC Radio Ulster to present a Saturday afternoon programme, commencing in April. 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.
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. 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.
Gerry Kelly was married and had two daughters. He was a member of Ardglass Golf Club and lived in Coney Island, County Down. He was also the brother of former Down GAA goalkeeper Danny Kelly.
In February 2018, Gerry 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. He died at his home on 26 July 2026, aged 77.
Tributes
Following Gerry Kelly's death, musician Peter Corry said he had been "a big champion of mine" and a good friend. Broadcaster Ralph McLean described Gerry 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.
Awards
In 1993, he received the Sony Gold Award for a special programme following the Shankill Road bombing. In 1998, Gerry 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.
What a guy!
