Going for Gold and Game for a Laugh star Henry Kelly has died aged 78-Laura Harman-Entertainment – Metro

Henry Kelly’s death has been announced (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Henry Kelly, the Irish television host and broadcaster has died at the age of 78.

Kelly’s family confirmed in a statement that 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.’

Kelly was a well-respected journalist in Ireland until he had a career change at the age of 34 and began presenting light entertainment shows.

He co-hosted Game for a Laugh from 1981 until 1983 and became a household name across the UK.

In June 1983, Kelly became the host of the Saturday edition of Good Morning Britain with Toni Arthur, also working on Summer Sunday.

From 1987 until 1996 he presented Going for Gold, a lunchtime television quiz game show on BBC1.

The television presenter was known for his role as co-host of light entertainment series Game For A Laugh (Picture: Richard McLaren/TV Times via Getty Images)

While he was best known as a television presenter, Kelly also appeared on radio as a host on LBC and Classic FM.

In his later life in 2005 he took over the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Berkshire, he also presented a Saturday mid-morning show for the station until 2015.

Kelly is also a published author, releasing his book How Stormont Fell in 1972, about his time working as a journalist in Belfast during the troubles.

The broadcaster was born in Athlone, in County Westmeath, Ireland and lived for much of his life in the UK.

He lived with his journalist wife Karolyn Shindler in Hampstead with their two children.

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