Henry Kelly Dies: Broadcaster & ‘Going For Gold’ Presenter Was 78

Journalist and TV presenter Henry Kelly has died aged 78.

In a statement confirming his death to the BBC, Kelly’s family said he “died peacefully” on Tuesday “after a period of ill health.”

The statement continued: “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.”

Born in Dublin in 1946, Kelly began his media career as a newspaper journalist. He wrote for The Irish Times during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, according to the BBC. 

Kelly later joined the BBC in London where he worked as a presenter on Radio 4’s The World Tonight. He went on to host a series of entertainment variety shows, including ITV’s Game For A Laugh and the quiz show Going For Gold. 

Kelly hosted Going For Gold for 10 seasons. The show featured contestants from different European countries who competed against each other to answer questions to win a prize. The show’s theme tune was composed by Hans Zimmer. The show was revived by Channel 5 in 2008 with presenter John Suchet.

Kelly was later one of the founding presenters on the UK classical music radio station Classic FM where he hosted a breakfast show from 1992 to 2003. He also hosted radio shows on LBC and BBC Radio London.