Journalist and presenter Lynda Bryans, who also worked with Kelly, said he was “such fun to be out with, you know, and he made you feel like you were very special”.
She said Kelly got his UTV gig by way of mistaken identity.
The company wanted Gerry’s brother Danny Kelly, who was a GAA player at the time, to do some reporting.
But when they called to the house it was Gerry who answered. The Head of Sport thought he was Danny and offered him the job.
“And look what that led to,” Bryans said.
Bryans said in the 1990s a lot of people “were reluctant to come to Northern Ireland, but when they heard Gerry Kelly” they all wanted to be on the show.
She said Kelly described helping the students at Belfast Met as a “closing the circle moment”.
“He was still the professional and the ultimate learning experience for the students,” Bryans added.
