Going for Gold presenter Henry Kelly dies aged 78 as family pays heartbreaking tribute
Veteran broadcaster Henry Kelly has died at the age of 78, with his family confirming the tragic news through a heartfelt statement.
Kelly’s family said he “died peacefully” on Tuesday “after a period of ill health”.
Their statement 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.”
In 1981, Kelly secured a co-presenter slot on ITV’s prime-time light entertainment show Game for a Laugh, which was a ratings success to make him a household name in the country.
He remained with the show until 1983. In June 1983, Kelly joined TV-am and became the host of the Saturday edition of Good Morning Britain alongside Toni Arthur.
He was also a regular stand-in presenter on the weekday programme and presented Summer Sunday over the years before he left TV-am in 1987.
From 1987 to 1996 he presented Going for Gold, a lunchtime television quiz game show broadcast on BBC1 with contestants from across Europe.
Before Kelly found his success on TV, the star graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in English in 1968, and soon became a journalist with The Irish Times.
After showing off his reporting skills, he was quickly promoted to the post of its Belfast-based Northern Editor in 1970, and was a firm part of the paper for five years.
In 1976 he left The Irish Times and moved to London to work as a reporter for the BBC on its Radio 4 The World Tonight programme before he later changed career completely at the age of 34 – finding his feet in showbiz.
Kelly later became one of the launch presenters of Classic FM and also hosted shows on speech station LBC and BBC Radio London.
Fans of the presenter have been left devastated by the news, with one writing on X: “RIP Henry Kelly. You didn’t just go for gold, you were gold.”
“R.I.P Henry Kelly! You were a true gent,” someone else penned before a third agreed: “Just heard the news of Henry Kelly… such a shame as he seemed a lovely man!”
Another upset fan penned: “I met Henry Kelly once and he was the most genuine and lovely man I have ever met! Sending all my love to his family at this difficult time.”
A fifth fan said: “Devasted by the news of Henry Kelly! Going for Gold was one of my absolute favs as kid!”
Someone else expressed: “R.I.P kind sir! Hope his family receives all the privacy that they need.” (sic)
Kelly is survived by his wife Karolyn Shindler and his two children, and resided in North London.