Matthew Kelly has revealed that he's unable to retire at 74 because he has squandered his fortune.
The former Stars In Their Eyes host said he blew his TV earnings and must work to make ends meet.
Kelly became a household name in the 1990s and early 2000s, fronting popular ITV shows like You Bet and Game For A Laugh. But poor financial management has left him struggling in his senior years.
Speaking on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast, he explained: “The baby Jesus made me rubbish with money, so I have to keep working, which is a very good thing for me. I need to get out of the house.”
Thornton praised his positive attitude, but Kelly was quick to clarify: “Well, I’m not that pleased with it, really. I’m just s*** at it, that’s all. I would love to have a bit put by.”
When Thornton asked him what had happened to his earnings from Stars In Their Eyes, he responded bluntly, “Well, there was money, but it’s all gone.”
He recalled reading an article that overestimated his salary: “I did read in one article how much I was supposed to be getting per episode. And I thought, ‘oh, if only!’ But even what I did get paid was very good.”
After leaving television, he turned his focus back to acting, but even with a steady flow of roles, his financial situation hasn’t improved.
Kelly also shared that he had a close brush with death during his time on Stars In Their Eyes. He described how a giant disco ball nearly killed him during a rehearsal when it fell from the ceiling, shattering just seconds after he had stepped away from the spot where it landed.
“It would have killed me,” he said, adding with his signature humour, “Imagine the papers: ‘Matthew Kelly killed in terrible glitterball tragedy. It’s the way he would have wanted to go.”
In another part of the interview, he reflected on his history with acohol, revealing that his colleagues had jokingly given him the nickname 'Muriel Malbec' due to his frequent drinking.
He also shared that Loose Women star Denise Welch was the one who ultimately inspired him to quit during their time working together on The Gap at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre earlier this year. Welch, 65, has openly discussed her own struggles with alcohol and has now been sober for 12 years.
Kelly said: "I thought she's [Denise] quite an inspiration, as you know. And one of the first things she tells you is how long she's been dry. And I thought, 'What? This is marvellous.' I thought, 'This is an ideal opportunity.'"
However, he didn’t manage to quit right away. "I've got three months with this woman, and I do like a bevvy, as you know. I thought I'll use this three months. And well, there was not a night that went by that I didn't get absolutely trashed at the bar afterwards."
He continued: "But after that show, I thought I was sitting with a friend and I thought, you know what? I've really got to stop drinking. I said, 'I'm going to stop drinking.' And he said, 'Do you know what? I want to stop.' So I did it."
Kelly later checked in with his friend on how he was doing. "At about ten weeks later, I rang him and I said, 'How are you getting on?' He said, 'Well, do you know, I never really stopped to be honest with you.' I said, 'Oh, that's absolutely fine.'"
Reflecting on his own progress, he added: "So for me, it's been more than six months. On the other hand, the company I was with before used to call me Muriel Malbec. So I thought it's about time I changed!"
