Patrick Kielty has finally broken his silence as he returned to his BBC Radio 5 Live show on Saturday, marking his first appearance since announcing his split from wife Cat Deeley.
The Irish comedian, 54, and the This Morning presenter, 48, who share sons Milo, seven, and James, five, confirmed last month that they were ending their 12-year marriage, insisting that “no other party” was involved.
Kielty, however, chose to come back with humour. Opening the show in Belfast, he joked about being rejected for the Match of the Day presenter role, even reading out a mock letter from BBC boss Tim Davie. “It takes a village to make this show sound so average,” he laughed, before admitting, “I shouldn’t have read that out on air!”
Behind the laughter, though, the fallout of the split continues to weigh heavily. Sources close to Kielty’s family revealed they remain furious with Cat for failing to attend his mother Mary’s funeral earlier this year, an absence they say confirmed the marriage was beyond repair. “Whatever difficulties were in the marriage, that was the moment to put on a united front. She knew how close Patrick was to his mum. The fact that she stayed in London and presented This Morning that day has not been forgotten,” a relative said.
The comic is now lying low at his countryside retreat in Dundrum, County Down, surrounded by friends and family. He was recently spotted buying a bottle of red wine near his former London home, marking his first public outing since the breakup.
Meanwhile, Cat has been seen in Spain without her wedding ring, sharing dinner with close friend and celebrity hairdresser Ben Skervin. Dressed in a halter-neck dress and golden sandals, she appeared “a little down” according to fellow diners, who noted she seemed in need of comfort and companionship during the turbulent time.
The once-golden couple’s separation has left fans stunned, with many pointing to the missed funeral as the true breaking point in their marriage.
