Presenter Patrick Kielty has addressed his separation from Cat Deeley for the first time, describing the end of their 12-year marriage as part of “the ebb and flow of life” following a challenging series of personal losses. According to interviews with the Irish Independent, the RTÉ Late Late Show host reflected on a difficult year that included his mother’s passing just four months before the couple announced their split in July of last year.
Addressing the Split and Recent Losses
Patrick and Cat Deeley announced their separation in July of last year after nearly 13 years of marriage, having tied the knot in Rome in September 2012. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Patrick opened up about navigating the split alongside the death of his mother, framing the turbulent period through the lens of life’s natural cycles. He compared the events to the tide coming in and out, stating that he views love, life, and happiness as part of normal existence. “So I wouldn’t file that as s**t,” Patrick told the Irish Independent, referencing his father’s historical murder, his mother’s death, and his divorce. “I would file that as the tapestry of life. Touch wood, I’m healthy, and my kids are healthy.”
Childhood Trauma and Life Perspective
Patrick is no stranger to profound personal tragedy, having lost his father, who was murdered by a loyalist gang in County Down in 1988 when Patrick was just 16 years old. The presenter has carried advice given by his aunt after that tragedy—that he hadn’t yet experienced his full lifetime quota of s**t. Despite this history, Patrick maintains a grounded perspective on mortality and family. He told the Irish Independent, “I buried my father, I buried my mother. That’s the natural flow of life. I’ve got kids. Hopefully they will bury me.”
Co-Parenting Milo and James
Focusing heavily on his role as a father, Patrick shares two sons, Milo and James, born in 2016 and 2018, with Cat Deeley. Cat previously detailed their co-parenting arrangement in an interview with The Sunday Times, describing it as a “50-50” split that requires careful organization. Patrick expressed joy in simply being present for his boys, telling the Irish Independent that he cherishes everyday moments like school runs, attending sports events, and steering them through their lives.
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