Patrick Kielty

Patrick Kielty: Comedian

His fearless satirical routines, in which he regularly attacked both Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries drew praise from both critics and those on the streets of pre ceasefire Belfast, not least because he had himself lost his father to UFF gunmen in 1988 aged 16.

TV, Film & Radio Work

The BBC were quick to pick up on his ability to both provoke and charm in equal measure and his big break came in 1995 on Comic Relief’s Saint Patrick’s Day Special along side Ben Elton, Jo Brand and Sir Lenny Henry.

His first two stand up titles went triple platinum and the award winning series “PK Tonight” for the BBC quickly followed. The Channel 4 show “Last Chance Lottery”, saw Patrick make the move to network television and he was soon a household name fronting shows like “Fame Academy” along side his own late night talk show “Patrick Kielty Almost Live” which ran for 6 seasons on BBC1.

n 2012, he co-presented This Morning, alongside Kate Thornton for one episode and Emma Willis for three episodes. In 2014 and 2015, Kielty guest hosted a few episodes of The One Show alongside Alex Jones.

In 2006, a sell out UK stand up tour and a headline appearance on “Live at The Apollo” along side Joan Rivers confirmed him as one of Ireland’s most successful comedy exports.

His BAFTA nominated My Dad, The Peace Deal and Me saw him named UK documentary host of the year at the 2018 Grierson Awards while his most recent film, Patrick Kielty: 100 Years of Union also won an RTS award for best presenter.

2022 saw the release of his first feature film, Ballywalter, where he plays the role of Shane alongside IFTA nominated Seána Kerslake. Other acting credits include Marie Jones

Patrick’s new radio talk show can be heard every Saturday morning on BBC 5Live whilst his latest sold-out UK and Ireland stand up tour is Borderline.

In 2023 he was named as the new host of the hugely popular RTE’s The Late Late Show.

Patrick Kielty: Theatre

However it was his acting debut, playing Kenneth McCallister in “A Night in November” at Belfast’s Opera House that saw things come full circle for Patrick – back on the stage that launched his Comic Relief debut a dozen years earlier. It was a role that charmed both critics and audiences and a transfer to London’s West End quickly followed. He received a What’s On Stage nomination

Treading the boards of the Trafalgar Theatre was his second Whitehall engagement of 2008, the first being his interview of both the British and Irish Prime Ministers at 10 Downing Street where he raised eyebrows when comparing the success of the Irish peace process with the failures in the Middle East – “Surely Iraq is just IRA with a Q on the end?”

International Comedy

In 2009 Patrick played his first shows at Montreal’s “Just For Laughs” Comedy Festival and took to the airwaves for the first time on BBC Radio 2 where he has been a regular host and firm favourite ever since. Appearances on The CH4 Comedy Gala, BBC’s Comedy Roadshow and CH4’s Comedy Roasts followed in 2010 and saw him named as the host of Ch4’s new satirical review -‘Stand Up for the Week’ later that year.

Patrick Kielty: Comedy Host

In 2011 he would also assume the presenting duties on the BBC New Comedy Award – a role he has made his own over the last 4 seasons. In 2012, his sell out comedy tour “Home’ led to his first network stand up special “Patrick Kielty’s One Night Stand’ and his first US stand up performances. More recently his work on Radio 2 has also taken him Stateside, fronting BBC music specials from Nashville and Boston in 2013 and 14.

Comedy Tour

Patrick’s latest stand up tour ‘Help’ debuted in Belfast’s Grand Opera House earlier this year to both audience and critical acclaim with an Edinburgh Festival run and a UK tour to follow this autumn.

Corporate Comedy

Patrick is a fantastic awards host, comedian, and all-round presenter. From stand up comedy to television presenting, this Irish comic is also busy on the corporate circuit presenting at awards dinners as well as providing cabaret.