Matthew Kelly facts for kids

Matthew Kelly (born David Allan Kelly on 9 May 1950) is a well-known English actor and television presenter. He first became famous for hosting popular ITV entertainment shows. These included Game for a Laugh, You Bet!, and Stars in Their Eyes. Later, he returned to acting, appearing in plays in London's West End and in TV shows.

Early Life and Learning

Matthew Kelly grew up in Urmston, Lancashire. He was involved with the Urmston Musical Theatre group from a young age. One of his notable roles was playing Louis in The King and I in 1963. He also performed regularly at Liverpool's Everyman Theatre.

When he was in his early forties, Matthew went back to school. He studied at the Open University and earned a degree in psychology.

Matthew Kelly's Career Highlights

Matthew Kelly's first big TV roles were in the sitcom Holding the Fort (1980-1982). He also appeared as a panelist on the game show Punchlines (1981-1984). He became much more famous as one of the first presenters on Game for a Laugh.

In January 1983, he was the first presenter for Children's ITV (CITV). He sometimes returned to this role over the next few years. In 1983, he was featured on the show This Is Your Life.

Hosting Popular TV Shows

For the next 14 years, Matthew focused on entertainment shows. He hosted Kelly's Eye (a sketch show in 1985) and You Bet! (1991–1995). His most famous role was hosting Stars in Their Eyes. He took over this show in 1993 and continued until March 2004.

While hosting Stars in Their Eyes, he also narrated the ITV series After They Were Famous. This show ran from 1999 to 2005.

Returning to Acting

After leaving Stars in Their Eyes, Matthew Kelly returned to acting full-time. He appeared in many TV shows and theatre productions. In 2005, he was in the BBC One series Bleak House. He also played an explorer named Giovanni Belzoni in BBC One's Egypt.

On stage, he won an Olivier Award in 2004. This was for his role as Lennie in John Steinbeck's play Of Mice and Men. He also played Ripafratta in Mirandolina in 2006. Soon after, he played Antonio Salieri in the play Amadeus.

Recent Roles and Appearances

From December 2008 to January 2009, Matthew Kelly performed in the pantomime Cinderella. He played one of the ugly sisters alongside his son, Matthew Rixon. In 2009, he received praise for his role in Victory: Choices in Reaction. He also played George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. That summer, he was Pandarus in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida at the Globe in London.

In January 2010, Matthew took over the role of Pozzo in Waiting for Godot. He performed alongside famous actors like Ian McKellen. In November 2010, the University of Chester gave him an honorary doctorate.

In March 2012, he returned to mainstream TV in the ITV comedy Benidorm. He played Cyril Babcock, a dance competition judge, and returned to the role in 2014. In 2016, he had a one-off role in the TV series Casualty. In 2018, he hosted the documentary series Top of the Box.

In September 2019, Matthew Kelly appeared in the stage production of Big. In May 2024, he starred in the BBC dark comedy series Inside No. 9. In 2025, he appeared in the BBC series Not Going Out.

Personal Life

Matthew Kelly married Sarah Gray in 1975. They have often lived in different places. He has lived in London, while she has lived in Cheshire and West Sussex.

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