Matthew Kelly has admitted that his retirement plans have been put on hold by serious financial woes in recent years. The beloved actor and TV presenter, 74, shot to fame as one of the principal hosts of light entertainment primetime shows throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Game for a Laugh, You Bet!, and Stars In Their Eyes were all staple viewing in households up and down the country between 1981 and 2004.
But despite being one of the biggest faces on British TV back then, Matthew – who backed away from the bright lights of Saturday nights 20 years ago – is still having to find work. He returned to acting full-time following the end of Stars In Their Eyes but has now admitted that it wasn’t enough to sustain himself after spending his TV earnings. Speaking to Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast, he explained that, despite being paid ‘very well’, the money from his days on ITV has dried up.
‘Well, you see, luckily, 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. ‘I’m not that pleased with [my view on spending money] really.
You know, I’m just s**t at it, that’s all. You know, I would love to have a bit put by.’ He continued: ‘There was money [from Stars In Their Eyes], but it’s all gone.
I did read in one article how much I was supposed to be getting per episode. And I thought, “Oh, if only!” ‘In actual fact, I was being paid very well. So i.