Henry Kelly, the beloved presenter of Going For Gold and Game For A Laugh, has passed away at the age of 78, his family has confirmed. The Dublin-born writer and broadcaster died peacefully on Tuesday after a period of ill health.
In a statement, his family said, “Henry will be sorely missed by his friends and family, including his partner Karolyn Shindler, their son Alexander, Henry’s daughter Siobhan, and her mother Marjorie.”
Kelly’s impressive career spanned several decades, beginning in journalism in the 1960s in Dublin. He first made his mark as a writer, contributing theatre reviews to The Irish Times while studying at University College Dublin. After graduating in 1968 with an English degree, he moved to Belfast in the 1970s, where he became the newspaper’s northern editor and covered the tumultuous events of The Troubles.
In 1976, Kelly moved to London, where he joined BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight as a reporter and presenter. His career then expanded into television, where he became widely known for his role as a presenter on the ITV entertainment show Game For A Laugh from 1981. However, it was his hosting of the BBC One game show Going For Gold that cemented his place in British television history. The show, which ran for 10 seasons from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, saw contestants from various countries compete for a cash prize through a series of general knowledge questions. The programme’s iconic theme tune was composed by future film score legend Hans Zimmer.
After the original Going For Gold ended, Channel 5 revived the show with a new format featuring UK and Irish contestants, though this time John Suchet took the reins as host. Kelly also made appearances on other popular television programmes, including Dinnerladies (created by Victoria Wood), TV-am, and the talk show After Dark.
In addition to his TV work, Kelly was a founding presenter at Classic FM, where he hosted the daily breakfast show from 1992 to 2003. His work at the station earned him a Sony Radio Award in 1994 when he was named National Broadcaster of the Year. Later, he took on the Henry Kelly Show on LBC and also presented on BBC Radio Berkshire between 2005 and 2015.
Kelly was also an accomplished author, having written several books. His first, How Stormont Fell (1972), examined the political collapse of Northern Ireland’s parliament. He later co-authored Classic FM Musical Anecdotes, Notes and Quotesin the 1990s with John Foley.
A versatile talent across radio, television, and print, Henry Kelly’s contribution to British broadcasting and his legacy in the entertainment industry will be remembered by many. He is survived by his partner, children, and extended family.
Stay tuned to London Pulse News for more updates.
