Henry Kelly
Encyclopedia
Patrick Henry Kelly is an Irish
television presenter and radio DJ.
Henry Kelly was born in Athlone, Co Westmeath, Ireland. He was educated at Belvedere College
SJ, and at University College Dublin where he was Auditor of the Literary and Historical Society. After university he worked as a journalist and was the Belfast
based Northern Editor of The Irish Times
in the 1970s. He wrote How Stormont Fell in 1972, a still highly regarded work.
In 1976, he moved to London
to work on Radio 4's World Tonight and, in a complete career change from serious journalism, in 1980 moved into television. Kelly became a household name in the UK
as part of the presenting team for LWT's
practical-joke show Game for a Laugh
in the 1980s. From 1987 to 1996 he presented Going for Gold
, a significantly popular lunchtime TV quiz show on BBC1. Through his work on Going for Gold, Henry developed the catchphrases "What am I?" and "Now you're playing catchup". Henry now works with radio broadcasters Andrew Peach
and Steve Madden at BBC Radio Berkshire
.
, initially presenting the weekday mid-morning show from 9am-12pm. He then moved onto the Breakfast Show, being replaced by Simon Bates
in June 2003.
slot on London
news & talk station LBC 97.3
until the end of 2004, when a new year reshuffle saw some of the station's most experienced presenters such as Brian Hayes
and Angela Rippon
not have their contracts renewed.
In February 2004, shortly after joining LBC 97.3, Kelly declared himself bankrupt thirteen years after Inland Revenue
had sued him for the non-payment of income tax and national insurance contributions during the 1980s
and in September 2005, took over the weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio Berkshire
every weekday morning from 10am-1pm.
In August 2006, in addition to his daily show on BBC Radio Berkshire
, Kelly also returned to Classic FM. Here he presented a three hour Sunday morning show from 9am-12noon, but in early 2008 his show was replaced by two shorter programmes as part of a station reshuffle.
He currently appears on the Sky News TV channel, reviewing the morning newspapers on Sunday mornings.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
television presenter and radio DJ.
Henry Kelly was born in Athlone, Co Westmeath, Ireland. He was educated at Belvedere College
Belvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
SJ, and at University College Dublin where he was Auditor of the Literary and Historical Society. After university he worked as a journalist and was the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
based Northern Editor of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
in the 1970s. He wrote How Stormont Fell in 1972, a still highly regarded work.
In 1976, he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to work on Radio 4's World Tonight and, in a complete career change from serious journalism, in 1980 moved into television. Kelly became a household name in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as part of the presenting team for LWT's
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
practical-joke show Game for a Laugh
Game for a Laugh
Game For A Laugh was a popular British TV light entertainment show which ran for 56 editions and 4 specials between 26 September 1981 and 23 November 1985, made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network.- Origins :...
in the 1980s. From 1987 to 1996 he presented Going for Gold
Going for Gold
Going for Gold is a British television game show that originally aired on BBC1 between 12 October 1987 and 9 July 1996.It has since been revived for Channel 5 from 13 October 2008 to 20 March 2009...
, a significantly popular lunchtime TV quiz show on BBC1. Through his work on Going for Gold, Henry developed the catchphrases "What am I?" and "Now you're playing catchup". Henry now works with radio broadcasters Andrew Peach
Andrew Peach
Andrew Peach is a radio presenter in the UK. He presents regular news and phone-in shows on BBC WM and BBC Radio Berkshire...
and Steve Madden at BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, as well as parts of North Hampshire, including Basingstoke. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 , 95.4 , 104.1 and 104.4 FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The 104.1 FM signal is the strongest...
.
Classic FM
In 1992 Kelly was one of the launch presenters of Classic FMClassic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
, initially presenting the weekday mid-morning show from 9am-12pm. He then moved onto the Breakfast Show, being replaced by Simon Bates
Simon Bates
Simon Bates is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM...
in June 2003.
LBC 97.3
In September 2003 he took up the DrivetimeDriveTime
DriveTime Automotive Group Inc., based in Phoenix, Arizona, is the largest used car seller and automobile finance company focusing on buyers with credit problems. The company has 88 dealerships in 36 U.S. metropolitan areas, and more than 2000 employees...
slot on London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
news & talk station LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
until the end of 2004, when a new year reshuffle saw some of the station's most experienced presenters such as Brian Hayes
Brian Hayes (broadcaster)
Brian Hayes is a radio presenter who is known in United Kingdom for his phone-in shows.The son of a miner, he left school aged 15 and worked as a clerk for a mining company before obtaining a job as a newsreader for a radio station in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia...
and Angela Rippon
Angela Rippon
Angela M. Rippon, OBE, born 12 October 1944, Plymouth, Devon, England, is an English television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter. Rippon presented radio and television news programmes in South West England before moving to BBC One's Nine O'Clock News, becoming a regular presenter in 1975...
not have their contracts renewed.
In February 2004, shortly after joining LBC 97.3, Kelly declared himself bankrupt thirteen years after Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
had sued him for the non-payment of income tax and national insurance contributions during the 1980s
Current work
At the time of his departure from LBC 97.3, Kelly announced that he was leaving to 'pursue his television career'. TV work proved scarce, however, but in June 2005, Kelly spent two weeks presenting the late (radio) show on BBC London 94.9BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
and in September 2005, took over the weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, as well as parts of North Hampshire, including Basingstoke. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 , 95.4 , 104.1 and 104.4 FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The 104.1 FM signal is the strongest...
every weekday morning from 10am-1pm.
In August 2006, in addition to his daily show on BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, as well as parts of North Hampshire, including Basingstoke. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 , 95.4 , 104.1 and 104.4 FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The 104.1 FM signal is the strongest...
, Kelly also returned to Classic FM. Here he presented a three hour Sunday morning show from 9am-12noon, but in early 2008 his show was replaced by two shorter programmes as part of a station reshuffle.
He currently appears on the Sky News TV channel, reviewing the morning newspapers on Sunday mornings.