Matthew Kelly facts for kids

Matthew Kelly (born David Allan Kelly, 9 May 1950) is a well-known English actor and television presenter. He first became famous on TV, hosting popular shows like Game for a Laugh, You Bet!, and Stars in Their Eyes. Before that, he trained as a theatre actor. In the 2000s, he returned to acting, appearing in many plays in London's West End and taking on TV roles.

Early Life and Learning

Matthew Kelly grew up loving theatre. He was part of the Urmston Musical Theatre group in Urmston, Lancashire. One of his notable early roles was playing Louis in a play called The King and I in 1963. He also performed regularly at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.

Later in his life, when he was in his early forties, he decided to go back to school. He studied at The Open University and earned a degree in psychology.

Matthew Kelly's Career in TV and Theatre

Matthew Kelly's first big TV appearances were in the sitcom Holding the Fort (1980-82). He also appeared as a panelist on the game show Punchlines (1981-84). He became much more famous as one of the original presenters on Game for a Laugh. This show was produced by the same team and aired on ITV.

Becoming a Children's TV Host

In January 1983, Matthew Kelly was the very first presenter for Children's ITV (CITV). He would sometimes return to this role over the next few years. In 1983, he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in London's Trafalgar Square for an episode of This Is Your Life. This show celebrated his life and career.

Hosting Popular Entertainment Shows

For the next 14 years, Matthew Kelly focused on hosting popular entertainment shows. These included Kelly's Eye (a sketch show from 1985) and You Bet! (1991–95). His most famous role was hosting Stars in Their Eyes. He took over this show after the original presenter, Leslie Crowther, had an accident. Matthew Kelly hosted Stars in Their Eyes until March 2004. At the same time, he was also the narrator for the ITV series After They Were Famous from 1999 to 2005.

Returning to Acting

After leaving Stars in Their Eyes, Matthew Kelly went back to acting full-time. He appeared in many TV shows and theatre productions. In 2005, he was in the BBC One series Bleak House.

Winning an Olivier Award

In 2004, he won a special award called an Olivier Award. This was for his amazing performance as Lennie in John Steinbeck's play Of Mice and Men. He performed this play at the Savoy Theatre in London.

More Stage and Screen Roles

Matthew Kelly continued to act in many plays. He was Ripafratta in Mirandolina in 2006. He also played Antonio Salieri in the play Amadeus. In 2007, he performed in the play Out For Justice in Sydney, Australia.

From December 2008 to January 2009, he joined other actors in the pantomime Cinderella. He played one of the ugly sisters alongside his son, Matthew Rixon. In 2009, he was praised for his roles in plays like Victory: Choices in Reaction and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. He also performed in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida at the Globe in London.

In 2010, Matthew Kelly took on the role of Pozzo in the play Waiting for Godot. He acted alongside famous actors like Ian McKellen and Roger Rees. He continued with this successful play in Melbourne, Australia.

Recent Work

In November 2010, Matthew Kelly received an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester. In 2012, he returned to mainstream TV in the ITV comedy Benidorm. He played Cyril Babcock, a judge for a dance competition, and returned to the role in 2014. He also performed in the play Educating Rita at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012. More recently, he appeared in the TV series Casualty in 2016. In 2018, he hosted the documentary series Top of the Box. In 2019, he appeared in the stage production of Big. In May 2024, he starred in the BBC comedy series Inside No. 9.

Personal Life

Matthew Kelly married Sarah Gray in 1975. They have mostly lived in different places, with him in London and her in Cheshire and later West Sussex.