Patrick Kielty: The Remarkable Life and Career of the Late Late Show Host
From a childhood in County Down to becoming one of Ireland’s best-known television presenters
Introduction
Patrick Kielty is a Northern Irish comedian, television presenter, radio host, and actor. He is best known today as the presenter of RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, one of Ireland’s most famous television programmes.
Kielty has worked in entertainment for more than three decades. His career includes stand-up comedy, television presenting, radio, documentaries, theatre, and film.
His personal story is also closely connected with the history of Northern Ireland. His father was killed during the Troubles when Patrick was still a teenager. Years later, Kielty used television documentaries to speak openly about peace, reconciliation, family, and the Good Friday Agreement.
Patrick Kielty Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Patrick Kielty |
| Date of Birth | 31 January 1971 |
| Age | 55 years old as of August 2026 |
| Birthplace | Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Profession | Comedian, TV presenter, radio presenter, actor |
| Education | Queen’s University Belfast |
| Degree | Psychology |
| Famous For | The Late Late Show, Patrick Kielty Almost Live, Fame Academy |
| Wife | Cat Deeley, separated in 2025 |
| Children | Two sons |
| Current Major TV Role | Host of The Late Late Show |
| Current Radio Work | BBC Radio 5 Live |
Who Is Patrick Kielty?
Patrick Kielty is a television personality and comedian who became famous through British and Irish television.
He started performing comedy while he was young and later became one of the familiar faces of entertainment television.
During his career, Kielty has presented comedy programmes, reality television shows, documentaries, radio programmes, and major live events.
His mix of humour, interviewing ability, and personal storytelling helped him build a long career.
Readers interested in similar television personalities, entertainment figures, and media stories can also explore For Magazine.
Patrick Kielty’s Age and Birthday
Patrick Kielty was born on 31 January 1971 in Dundrum, County Down.
He turned 55 years old in January 2026.
He grew up in Northern Ireland during a difficult period in the region’s history.
Those early experiences later became an important part of his documentary work and public storytelling.
Patrick Kielty’s Early Life
Patrick Kielty grew up in Dundrum with his parents, Jack and Mary Kielty, and his brothers.
His father, Jack Kielty, worked in business and was also involved with Gaelic football.
Patrick became interested in performing while he was still at school.
One of his teachers encouraged him to perform impressions during a school Christmas event when he was around 15 years old.
He copied famous personalities such as comedian Billy Connolly and boxer Barry McGuigan.
This was one of Patrick Kielty’s earliest experiences performing in front of an audience.
The Death of Patrick Kielty’s Father
One of the most important and painful events in Patrick Kielty’s early life happened in January 1988.
His father, Jack Kielty, was killed by loyalist paramilitaries during the Troubles.
Patrick was only 16 years old.
The event had a lasting effect on Kielty and his family.
Many years later, he spoke publicly about the experience while discussing Northern Ireland, peace, and reconciliation.
His personal connection with the Troubles became especially important in his documentary work.
Patrick Kielty’s Education
Patrick Kielty studied at Queen’s University Belfast.
He entered the university in 1989 and studied psychology.
He completed his degree in 1992 with a 2:1 honours qualification.
University life also helped his entertainment career begin.
Kielty performed comedy while studying and won a Freshers’ Week talent competition.
He also played Gaelic football.
His university years therefore played an important part in both his education and his future career.
Patrick Kielty and Gaelic Football
Before becoming famous as a comedian, Kielty was also a talented Gaelic football player.
He played as a goalkeeper.
He was part of the Down minor football setup and was a substitute when Down won the 1987 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship.
Kielty has continued to speak warmly about Gaelic games throughout his career.
His father was also strongly connected with the GAA.
Sport remained an important part of his family background even after Patrick moved into entertainment.
How Did Patrick Kielty Start His Career?
Patrick Kielty’s professional entertainment career began with stand-up comedy.
He performed in Belfast and became closely connected with the comedy scene around The Empire.
His performances eventually helped him move into television.
During the 1990s, Kielty appeared on and presented several television programmes.
His natural confidence and fast humour helped him become a regular television presenter.
Patrick Kielty Almost Live
One of Kielty’s most important early television successes was Patrick Kielty Almost Live.
The programme mixed interviews, comedy, entertainment, and celebrity appearances.
It helped establish Kielty as a nationally recognised television presenter.
The show became one of the programmes most closely associated with his early career.
Fame Academy
Patrick Kielty reached an even wider UK television audience when he became one of the presenters of Fame Academy.
The BBC entertainment programme followed contestants trying to develop careers in music.
Kielty worked on the programme during the early 2000s.
It also brought him into contact with television presenter Cat Deeley, who would later become his wife.
Patrick Kielty and Love Island
Kielty was also involved with the original celebrity version of Love Island on ITV.
He presented the programme during its earlier television era in 2005 and 2006.
This was years before the modern version of Love Island became one of the biggest reality television programmes in Britain.
Other Patrick Kielty TV Shows
Patrick Kielty has worked on many television programmes during his long career.
His presenting credits have included:
- Patrick Kielty Almost Live
- Fame Academy
- Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
- Love Island
- Stand Up for the Week
- Debatable
- The One Show guest presenting
- My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me
- Patrick Kielty: One Hundred Years of Union
- The Late Late Show
These programmes show how Kielty moved between comedy, entertainment, serious documentaries, and live television.
My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me
One of Patrick Kielty’s most personal projects was the documentary My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me.
The programme was released in 2018, around the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Kielty explored the peace process while also discussing the murder of his father.
The documentary received strong recognition.
Kielty won a Grierson Award for his presenting work, while the programme also received a BAFTA television nomination.
The documentary showed a more serious side of Kielty than many viewers had previously seen.
Patrick Kielty: One Hundred Years of Union
Kielty later presented Patrick Kielty: One Hundred Years of Union.
The documentary examined Northern Ireland, its identity, and its future.
His work on the programme earned him recognition from the Royal Television Society in Northern Ireland.
These documentaries became an important part of Kielty’s later career.
Patrick Kielty’s Acting Career
Kielty has also worked as an actor.
He appeared in the stage production A Night in November.
He later made his major dramatic film debut in Ballywalter.
In the film, Kielty played Shane opposite actress Seána Kerslake.
The role allowed him to move beyond television presenting and comedy into dramatic acting.
Patrick Kielty and The Late Late Show
A major new chapter in Patrick Kielty’s career began in 2023.
He became the permanent host of RTÉ’s famous The Late Late Show.
His first episode as host aired on 15 September 2023.
Kielty succeeded Ryan Tubridy.
The role made him the fourth permanent presenter in the history of the long-running programme.
The Late Late Show includes celebrity interviews, entertainment, music, human-interest stories, and discussions about important social issues.
Is Patrick Kielty Still Hosting The Late Late Show?
Yes.
As of August 2026, Patrick Kielty remains the host of The Late Late Show.
RTÉ announced a new three-year agreement with Kielty in July 2026.
He is expected to continue presenting the programme during its next season beginning in September 2026.
The contract shows that Kielty remains an important part of RTÉ’s entertainment schedule.
Patrick Kielty’s Radio Career
Patrick Kielty is also an experienced radio presenter.
He has presented a Saturday morning programme on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Radio gives Kielty another platform for interviews, conversations, news-related discussion, and entertainment.
His ability to work across television, radio, comedy, and documentary programmes has helped him maintain a long career.
Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley
Patrick Kielty married television presenter Cat Deeley in Rome in September 2012.
Deeley is known internationally as a television presenter and has worked on programmes in both Britain and the United States.
Kielty and Deeley have two sons.
In July 2025, the couple publicly announced that they had separated and had decided to end their marriage.
They said that they remained united in raising their children.
Because their children are private individuals, unnecessary personal information about them should not be shared.
Patrick Kielty’s Mother
Patrick Kielty’s mother was Mary Kielty.
She remained an important figure in the Kielty family throughout Patrick’s life.
Mary Kielty died peacefully at home in Dundrum in March 2025.
She was survived by her sons Patrick, John, and Cahal.
Patrick Kielty’s Awards and Honours
Kielty has received recognition for both entertainment and documentary work.
Some notable awards and honours connected with his career include:
- Royal Television Society recognition for presenting
- Grierson Award for My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me
- BAFTA television nomination connected with the same documentary
- Royal Television Society Northern Ireland award for One Hundred Years of Union
- Honorary degree from Queen’s University Belfast
- Honorary Doctor of Letters from Ulster University
These honours reflect his work across comedy, television, documentary storytelling, and broadcasting.
Patrick Kielty’s Business Career
Patrick Kielty has also had business connections within television production.
He was involved in establishing Green Inc Film and Television during the 1990s.
The company became involved in television production.
Kielty later resigned from his director position.
He has also operated television-related business interests connected with his broadcasting work.
However, celebrity websites often publish different estimates of Patrick Kielty’s personal wealth.
Because these figures are not based on reliable public financial evidence, they should not be presented as confirmed facts.
Patrick Kielty’s Salary
Patrick Kielty’s original Late Late Show agreement provided a base payment of €250,000 per season for up to 30 programmes.
RTÉ later reported payments above that figure when additional programmes were presented.
A new agreement was announced in 2026, but the exact new payment was not publicly detailed when the contract was announced.
Patrick Kielty’s Charity Work
Patrick Kielty has supported charitable activities during his career.
His past work has included involvement with humanitarian causes and charity television events.
He has also participated in fundraising sports events such as Soccer Aid.
His television documentaries have additionally contributed to public conversations around conflict, peace, reconciliation, and Northern Irish identity.
Why Is Patrick Kielty Famous?
Patrick Kielty is famous mainly for his work as a:
- Television presenter
- Stand-up comedian
- Radio presenter
- Documentary presenter
- Actor
- Late Late Show host
His career has lasted more than 30 years.
He is particularly recognised in Ireland and the United Kingdom, but many international viewers also know him through television and his marriage to Cat Deeley.
Interesting Facts About Patrick Kielty
- Patrick Kielty started performing impressions while still at school.
- He studied psychology at Queen’s University Belfast.
- He played Gaelic football as a goalkeeper.
- He was part of the Down minor setup in the 1980s.
- His father was killed during the Troubles when Patrick was 16.
- He later made documentaries about Northern Ireland and the peace process.
- He became host of The Late Late Show in 2023.
- He has worked in television, radio, theatre, film, and stand-up comedy.
- He received honorary degrees from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University.
- His dramatic movie work includes Ballywalter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Patrick Kielty?
Patrick Kielty was born on 31 January 1971. He is 55 years old as of August 2026.
Where was Patrick Kielty born?
He was born in Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland.
What does Patrick Kielty do?
Patrick Kielty is a comedian, television presenter, radio presenter, documentary host, and actor.
What is Patrick Kielty famous for?
He is famous for programmes including Patrick Kielty Almost Live, Fame Academy, Love Island, and The Late Late Show.
Is Patrick Kielty still hosting The Late Late Show?
Yes. As of August 2026, Kielty remains the presenter of The Late Late Show and has agreed to continue with RTÉ under a new multi-year deal.
Who is Patrick Kielty’s wife?
Patrick Kielty married television presenter Cat Deeley in 2012. The couple announced their separation in July 2025.
Does Patrick Kielty have children?
Yes. Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley have two sons.
Where did Patrick Kielty study?
He studied psychology at Queen’s University Belfast and graduated in 1992.
Did Patrick Kielty play Gaelic football?
Yes. Kielty played as a goalkeeper and was involved with Down at minor level.
When did Patrick Kielty start The Late Late Show?
Patrick Kielty presented his first episode as permanent host of The Late Late Show on 15 September 2023.
Final Words
Patrick Kielty’s life has included comedy, television success, personal tragedy, family life, radio, acting, and documentary storytelling.
He grew from a young performer in County Down into one of Ireland’s best-known television presenters.
His career also shows that he is more than a comedian. Kielty has used his public platform to discuss difficult subjects such as the Troubles, the death of his father, peace, and reconciliation.
As of 2026, Patrick Kielty remains active in broadcasting and continues to host The Late Late Show.
