Patrick Kielty opened up about the challenges of juggling family life with wife Cat Deeley just months before the couple announced the end of their 13-year marriage.
On Tuesday, the pair confirmed their separation in a joint statement issued to the PA news agency, saying: “We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated.
“There is no other party involved. We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected.
“There will be no further comment.”
The split comes after ongoing speculation about whether the couple’s contrasting work commitments could put a strain on their relationship.
Fans had previously raised concerns about the pressures of Deeley's new role on This Morning alongside Ben Shephard, while Kielty continued hosting RTÉ’s The Late Late Show from Dublin.
Reports have suggested the couple had been leading largely separate lives prior to Tuesday’s announcement.
They hadn’t been seen together publicly for more than a year, and Cat was notably absent from Patrick’s mother’s funeral in March.
A spokesperson at the time said she remained at home to care for their sons, Milo, nine, and James, seven.
Back in September, however, Kielty dismissed rumours of any marital strain.
In an interview with The Times, he insisted they had found a rhythm that worked for their family.
When asked whether their busy schedules left them like “ships passing in the night”, he replied, “because Cat's doing her stuff in the morning, she would normally be back just after lunchtime.
“And we've got the start of the week and the weekends together, so it's not ‘Hi/bye’”.
Despite that reassurance, Kielty did acknowledge that they had recently experienced a difficult patch, particularly when Cat was required to film So You Think You Can Dance in Atlanta for seven weeks.
“There was a moment after Christmas that was tricky, when Cat's show [So You Think You Can Dance] came back in America, and she had to fly to Atlanta for seven weeks,” he said.
“There was a wee bit of a juggle there. But I think with all these things, as long as you have a routine, it doesn't take as much fizz out of you as some people think.”
The couple had relocated from Los Angeles to London in 2023 after 15 years living in the US, with Kielty commuting to Dublin for his presenting role.
