Patrick Kietly has broken his silence as he returned to his BBC Radio 5 Live show on for the first time Saturday since his shock split from Cat Deeley.
The Irish comedian, 54, and This Morning host, 48, who share sons Milo, seven, and James, five, revealed last month that they had taken the decision to end their 12 year marriage, stressing that ‘no other party’ was involved.
In a jovial mood upon his return to the airwaves Patrick joked about being overlooked for the role of Match of the Day host, following Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates replacing Gary Lineker.
He laughed: ‘It’s lovely to be back. We are coming to you from sunny Belfast and we’ve got Michael Andrew looking after things here. We’ve got Sammy and Craig looking after things in London’.
‘It takes a village folks to make this show sound so average, but it is not just me who is back, Oh no, what is this? It is a little welcome back letter from the head of the BBC’.
As the iconic Match of the Day theme played, Patrick read: ‘Dear Mr Kielty, thank you so much for your application to be a host on Match of the Day. Unfortunately every other host employed by the BBC is currently working hosting on this show therefore we don’t need your services. Don’t call us, we will call you, Tim Davie‘.
Patrick Kietly has broken his silence as he returned to his BBC Radio 5 Live show on for the first time Saturday since his shock split from Cat Deeley (Stock image)
The Irish comedian, 54, and This Morning host, 48, who share sons Milo, seven, and James, five, revealed last month that they had taken the decision to end their 12 year marriage, stressing that ‘no other party’ was involved (pictured 2021)
Before quipping: ‘Thanks for that Tim, I shouldn’t have read that out on air!’.
The comic, who previously admitted not feeling like an equal partner during the relationship, is lying low in his stylish country home in the village of Dundrum, County Down where family and friends have been rallying around him.
Patrick was pictured last week on a trip to the shops near the former couple’s home in London buying a bottle of red wine. It was the first time he had been pictured since their split was confirmed.
His family are still seething with Cat over her failure to attend his beloved mother’s funeral – and say they knew at that moment their marriage was over for good.
Her ‘no show’ back in March has left deep emotional scars within the Kielty family who say it confirmed for them that there was little chance of a reconciliation between the two.
Clearly still upset at the anger and embarrassment it caused the family, one relative told the Daily Mail this week: ‘Whatever rockiness was going on in the marriage, something as a momentous as his mother’s funeral, you would make up even temporarily and just put your ‘best face’ on as we say in Northern Ireland.
‘Cat obviously knew how close Patrick was to Mary and she should have come to be by his side, a hand on his shoulder as he buried his mother. The fact that she stayed in London and presented This Morning on the day, it’s not been forgotten.’
The source added: ‘In a very tight knit community in Northern Ireland, people always turn out. It’s the done thing. His family remain very upset by this. They still can’t believe it. It was the point when we all realised that that marriage had ended.’
In a jovial mood upon his return to the airwaves Patrick joked about being overlooked for the role of Match of the Day host following Gary Lineker’s exit (pictured)
‘Unfortunately every other host employed by the BBC is currently working hosting on this show therefore we don’t need your services. Don’t call us, we will call you’
The comic is lying low in his stylish country home in the village of Dundrum, County Down where family and friends have been rallying around him
His family are still seething with Cat over her failure to attend his beloved mother’s funeral – and say they knew at that moment their marriage was over for good
Her ‘no show’ back in March has left deep emotional scars within the Kielty family who say it confirmed for them that there was little chance of a reconciliation (pictured 2023)
Patrick looked bereft as he carried Mary’s coffin through his home village, where he was joined by close family and friends at the Church of the Sacred Heart.
A spokesperson for Cat told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Cat remained at home to be there for her two young children before and after school on this very sad day.’
Patrick and his family are well known and hugely respected within the Dundrum community and virtually the whole village of 1500 people turned up to pay their respects at Mary’s funeral.
It was followed by a wake with the whole ceremony surrounding her death at the age of 88 holding huge significance in Irish Catholic traditions.
One source said: ‘The wake and all these other things are of huge importance. The house was full non-stop but her not being there was obviously a topic of conversation and caused a huge amount of embarrassment.
‘The family and their friends felt let down. We felt that Cat could have just turned up to hold his hand or put an arm around his shoulder at the graveside, regardless of the problems they might have been having. For something like this, you would put on a show of unity, it’s not too much to ask.’
A close friend of Patrick’s who grew up with him in Dundrum said: ‘It’s not just the family, it’s the whole community who haven’t forgotten. We were all there but not his wife.
‘Whatever is going on in your marriage, at the very least you need to do the right thing and show up to stand beside your husband in his hour of need.
‘The fact that she (Cat) didn’t made it obvious that the marriage was over. You can’t get back together after something like that.’
Meanwhile Cat was spotted for the first time since the split, enjoying dinner with a male friend in Spain.
Patrick was pictured last week on a trip to the shops near the former couple’s home in London buying a bottle of red wine. It was the first time he had been pictured since the split
Meanwhile Cat was spotted for the first time since the split, enjoying dinner with a male friend in Spain
Pictured: Kat and Ben Skervin who describes himself as a ‘freelance celebrity and fashion hairdresser’ and according to his personal website, previously worked with the Spice Girls
In pictures obtained exclusively by The Daily Mail, the This Morning host was snapped out at a restaurant in Sitges, frequently visited by celebrities, minus her wedding ring.
According to fellow diners at the picturesque eatery called Chiringuito de Garraf, the presenter appeared ‘downcast’ while wearing a halter neck dress and golden sandals, as she tucked into her meal, believed to be lobster.
The mystery man joining her for dinner was hairdresser friend Ben Skervin, who documented his trip to Spain on his Instagram page which Cat commented on, writing: ‘I love you’.
The Londoner has previously featured on snaps alongside Cat on social media and describes his himself as a ‘freelance celebrity and fashion hairdresser’ and according to his personal website, previously worked with the Spice Girls, Keira Knightly, Madonna, Mariah Carey and Hugh Jackman, photographers including Karl Lagerfeld and top fashion magazines American Vogue and Vanity Fair among others.
The restaurant snaps were taken on August 2, just days after Cat and Patrick announced their separation after 12 years of marriage.
A fellow diner told The Daily Mail: ‘Cat looked a bid down and a touch crestfallen, not her usual spritely self, which is understandable given her marriage split.
‘Her accent was recognisable to a number of Brits at the restaurant, which is popular with celebrities, and she had interacted with a few British kids also dining there.
‘She clearly needed to be around her nearest and dearest during such a difficult time.’
The Daily Mail approached Cat’s reps for comment.