Irish premier praises Henry Kelly for his ‘huge contribution to journalism’

The former Going For Gold and Game For A Laugh host died â??peacefullyâ?? on Tuesday â??after a period of ill healthâ??, his family said.

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Ireland’s premier has praised Henry Kelly for making a “huge contribution to journalism and broadcasting” within Ireland and the UK following his death.

The former Going For Gold and Game For A Laugh host died “peacefully” on Tuesday “after a period of ill health”, his family said.

Writer and broadcaster Kelly began his career at the broadsheet newspaper The Irish Times while doing theatre reviews as a student at University College Dublin.

He went on to become its northern editor, based in Belfast in the 1970s – where he covered the height of the Troubles.

In 1976, he moved to London and joined the long-running BBC Radio 4 current affairs programme, The World Tonight, as a reporter and presenter.

TV presenting gigs followed from the 1980s, including entertainment show Game For A Laugh on ITV from 1981.

He went on to host BBC 1 game show Going For Gold for 10 seasons from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin paid tribute to the broadcaster in a post on X, writing: “Very saddened to learn of the passing of Henry Kelly.

“From his time as northern editor of the Irish Times to presenting BBC shows including Going For Gold, Henry made a huge contribution to journalism & broadcasting here and in the UK.

“My thoughts are with his family at this time.”

Former Sky News presenter Kay Burley recalled how Kelly was “always game for a laugh” and said he will be “sadly missed” as she paid tribute.

Downton Abbey star Peter Egan remembered him as a “delightful man and a terrific presenter” and said he “liked him very much”.

Classic FM, where Kelly hosted a daily breakfast programme from 1992 to 2003, thanked him for “sharing your love of music with us all”.

In 1994, he was voted national broadcaster of the year in the Sony Radio Awards.

GB News presenter Mark Dolan described the broadcaster as a “total legend” who was “generous, funny, clever and wise” as he recalled meeting him when he worked at LBC.

He hosted the Henry Kelly Show on LBC for a stint, as well as presenting on the local station, BBC Radio Berkshire, between 2005 and 2015.

Irish broadcaster and journalist Vincent Browne also hailed Kelly as a “great reporter” but said it was a “pity he drifted into entertainment”.

A statement from Kelly’s 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.”

His programme Going For Gold, which featured a theme tune from Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, saw people from different countries competing against each other for a cash prize through answering questions.

TV presenter Henry Kelly (William Conran/PA)

PA Archive

It was shortly revived by Channel 5 with newsreader John Suchet at the helm during the 2000s, with the European contestants absent from the revival.

Kelly also appeared in comedy show Dinnerladies, had a stint on morning programme TV-am, and talk show After Dark.

He also wrote a number of books including the 1970s work, How Stormont Fell, about the events which hit the Northern Irish parliament, and co-authored the 1990s collection Classic FM Musical Anecdotes, Notes And Quotes with John Foley.

In 2022, Kelly along with RTE and TV3 current affairs presenter Browne was asked by a Belfast coroner to give evidence at the inquest of barman John Moran, who was killed in a loyalist bomb attack in 1972.

A hearing, at Belfast Coroner’s Court, heard that Kelly’s partner had indicated he had no recollection of the incident and was unable to assist.

Last year, the court said it had been unable to conclude the inquest by a deadline.

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