Overview
- His death was announced on Sunday, July 26, 2026, with the BBC reporting he died at his home that morning.
- Kelly built a four-decade career at UTV and BBC Radio Ulster and was best known for his weekly UTV talk show that ran from 1989 to 2005.
- He conducted many notable interviews, including an early clip with an eight-year-old Rory McIlroy that became widely remembered.
- Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and broadcaster William Crawley led public tributes, praising Kelly’s warmth, curiosity and his role in mentoring other presenters.
- Kelly disclosed a cancer diagnosis in 2018 but no new official cause of death has been published in initial reports, and family statements in these accounts are limited to the announcement of his passing.