Patrick Kielty's grand gesture that won over Cat Deeley as couple announce split
The couple, who share two children, released a joint statement on Tuesday confirming the sad news.
"We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated," they said. "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's privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment."
Kielty and Deeley first met in 2002 while they hosted BBC talent show Fame Academy, however, the pair's relationship remained purely platonic until a grand romantic gesture from the Irish comedian eventually swept Deeley off her feet. Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty wed in 2012 (Image: Instagram)
During an appearance on RTE's Late Late Show in 2020, Deeley revealed the sweet story about how the pair got together, and Kielty's incredible birthday surprise that 'knocked her socks off'.
"Since we did [TV show] Fame Academy and all that. We would always call each other on birthdays or Christmas, or we'd see each other occasionally or whatever it was," Deeley told then-Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy.
"Anyway, there was a night where it was the day before my birthday. I can't even remember what birthday it was now! It was 30-something. Anyway, he called me and he spoke to me on the phone. He said, 'Oh, what are you doing for your birthday? I'm just ringing to say happy birthday'.
"I said, 'Oh, we're going to the Beverly Hills Hotel. We're just going to have a late brunch; it's going to be very civilised. It's a shame you're not here, otherwise you could come'. And he was like, 'Well, eh - I'll be there'.
"Now, bear in mind at this point, Ryan, he was at the Maghera Inn down the end of the road," Deeley continued.
"And in Ireland I think it was approximately three o'clock in the morning, so I wasn't too sure! I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, sure you will. Sure you will, Charlie Big Bananas, sure you'll be there! I'll hold you a seat, how about that?
"Anyway, I didn't know this, but he basically stumbled home from the pub, set an alarm clock, booked a flight to go back to Heathrow - I think the first flight out. He set his alarm for five, first flight out was seven to land into Heathrow at eight to get on the 9:30 flight to fly to LA. Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley arrive at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater (Image: Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
"He flew to LA with his hand luggage, jumped in a cab, told the story to the cabbie. The cabbie was like, 'Are you sure you don't want me to wait? I can wait for you. I can wait. That'll be ok'. He's like, 'No, no! It's good, it's good!'
"[He] Walked into the Beverly Hills Hotel, dropped his bag at concierge and walked in. At which point I fell off my seat. And he then proceeded to be utterly charming to everybody around the table. Everybody slightly fell in love with him. As did I. And he didn't go home for 10 days."
Kielty is a self-confessed "born romantic" and ahead of hosting his first Late Late Show Valentine's special last year, the TV presenter opened up about 'following his heart' and flying to Los Angeles to surprise Deeley for lunch.
'I am an absolute born romantic… If I'd a quid for every rom-com I've cried at," he said at the time.
'I followed my heart all the way to Los Angeles to surprise my now wife for lunch. Twelve years and two kids later, I think it worked out.'
Kielty and Deeley went public with their relationship in May 2012 and the couple secretly tied the knot in September of that year with their close family and friends present.
They welcomed their eldest son Milo in January 2016, and their second son James Patrick in June 2018.
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