Patrick Kielty opened the new series of RTÉ's The Late Late Show on Friday by thanking viewers for their support in his first televised appearance since he and Cat Deeley announced their separation in July.
The presenter, 54, addressed the audience and viewers at home, saying he had been “blown away by all of the love and support” he and his family had received over the summer. He removed his wedding ring during the programme and concluded his remarks as studio applause broke out.
Kielty and television host Cat Deeley, 48, announced in a joint statement in July that they had "taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated" and that "there is no other party involved." The couple have two sons.
On air, Kielty said, "One of the greatest joys of hosting this show is that you're never alone," and thanked viewers in Irish, adding, "go raibh míle maith agat." He described returning to the programme as a privilege and said being back "truly puts flesh on my bones." The remarks were made at the top of the show as the new series began.
Deeley has remained in the public eye since the announcement and returned to present the ITV programme This Morning after a summer break. She was seen at the National Television Awards in recent weeks wearing an emerald-green Oscar de la Renta gown and, according to photographs at the event, appeared to be wearing a ring on her wedding finger after she had previously been seen without a band.
A Daily Mail report said members of Kielty's family were upset by Deeley's absence from his mother's funeral in March and viewed that as a turning point for the marriage. A spokesperson quoted in that report said Deeley remained at home on the day of the funeral to care for the couple's two young children before and after school. The family accounts and the spokesperson's comments were published by the Daily Mail.
Friends of the former couple told the Daily Mail they expect the separation could involve dispute over a property the pair began renovating in 2023, described in that report as a multi-million-pound 1950s house. The couple have not made further public comment beyond their July joint statement, in which they asked for privacy for their family and said there would be no further statement.
Kielty, a Northern Ireland native and long-time presenter, carried on with the programme following his opening remarks. The Late Late Show is one of RTÉ's flagship chat shows and Kielty has been its host since 2023. The couple married in 2012 and together have maintained profiles in both British and Irish television.
Neither Deeley nor Kielty has indicated additional public comment about their private arrangements since the July announcement. The statements and reports about family reaction, funeral attendance and property matters remain as reported by the Daily Mail.