Matthew Kelly quits light entertainment

Published Wednesday 28 September 2005 at 12:25 by Liz Thomas

Matthew Kelly has announced he is giving up light entertainment forever.

The performer, who spent years fronting popular ITV1 series You Bet! and Stars in Their Eyes, will focus on theatre and television drama.

He confesses: “It’s a tough call because I like everything I do but I’m leaving light entertainment. My heart is not in it anymore and for me it’s lost its glitter. I had a good innings but I got the opportunity to move on… Filming drama, you spend hours sitting around drinking tea and laughing with your mates. Who wouldn’t want to do television drama?”

Kelly, whose career was nearly ruined by abuse allegations that were subsequently dropped, admitted that he still watched Stars in Their Eyes. “I think it’s a perfect format series,” he adds. “It’s great the Cat Deeley has been able to bring something different to the show - fabulous legs, huge hair - and what about that lipgloss. Who could want for more?”

He is about to be seen on screens as Mr Turvydrop in the BBC’s soap opera style adaptation of Dickens’ classic Bleak House and as a serial killer in 90-minute crime thriller Cold Blood for ITV1.