Henry Kelly, the presenter of “Going For Gold,” has passed away at the age of 78, as confirmed by his family. The Dublin-born writer and broadcaster died “peacefully” on Tuesday following a period of ill health. His family stated, “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 began his journalism career in the 1960s in Dublin, transitioning to radio and television presenting in the 1970s after moving to England. While studying at University College Dublin, he wrote theatre reviews for The Irish Times and graduated with an English degree in 1968. He later became the newspaper’s northern editor in Belfast during the 1970s, covering significant events during The Troubles.
In 1976, Kelly joined BBC Radio 4’s current affairs program “The World Tonight” as a reporter and presenter. He became a familiar face on the ITV entertainment show “Game For A Laugh” starting in 1981 and hosted the BBC One game show “Going For Gold” for ten seasons from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. The original format featured contestants from various countries competing for a cash prize by answering questions, with the theme tune composed by the acclaimed Hans Zimmer. The show was later revived by Channel 5, featuring contestants from the UK and Ireland, hosted by newsreader John Suchet.
In addition to his game show work, Kelly appeared in the sitcom “Dinnerladies” by Victoria Wood, had a stint on the morning program “TV-am,” and hosted the talk show “After Dark.” He was also a founding presenter on Classic FM, where he hosted a daily breakfast show from 1992 to 2003, earning a Sony Radio Award in 1994 as the national broadcaster of the year. His later radio career included hosting “The Henry Kelly Show” on LBC.