Lorraine Kelly, the veteran ITV presenter with over 42 years in broadcasting, has named the two celebrities she found most difficult to interview during an appearance at the 2025 Hay Festival of Literature and Arts. The Scottish-born host, who began her career in 1983 and rose to fame on TV AM's Good Morning Britain, identified singers Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga as her worst talk show guests.
Mariah Carey's 'Refreshed' Interview
Speaking at the festival, Kelly described her interview with Mariah Carey as 'difficult', though she clarified that Carey was not intentionally horrible. 'The one that was difficult, not because she was horrible... but Mariah Carey was 'refreshed'. It's good we were [pre-recording] it because her first answer was 10 minutes long, and did not make any sense,' Kelly said. She added, 'But I always give people the benefit of the doubt.'
Lady Gaga's No-Show
Kelly also recounted a frustrating experience with Lady Gaga, whose production team kept the crew waiting for hours. 'They kept saying 'she's getting in the car, she's getting in the car', and of course my crew have all been up since God knows when... they need to go home to bed!' the presenter said. 'She never turned up; I don't know what happened there,' she added.
Favourite Guest: George Clooney
In contrast, Kelly named George Clooney as her favourite interview subject. 'George Clooney is adorable,' she responded. 'He just is. He's my favourite.' Over her decades-long career, Kelly has interviewed a wide range of famous faces, from Oprah Winfrey to Hugh Jackman, but these two encounters stand out as the most challenging.
