ITV daytime stalwart Lorraine Kelly has taken a leave of absence from her self-titled chat show following the sudden death of her father, John Kelly. The tragic incident occurred over the weekend in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.
Christine Lampard Steps In With Condolences
Christine Lampard presented Monday's edition of 'Lorraine' in her absence, opening the programme with a heartfelt message. "Lorraine is spending some time with her family in Scotland, but we are all thinking of you Lorraine, and we will see you here very soon," she told viewers.
The handover from Good Morning Britain also saw presenter Susanna Reid send "enormous amounts of love" to her colleague. The show's team and ITV colleagues have rallied around the popular host during this difficult period.
Tragic Circumstances of John Kelly's Death
John Kelly, aged 84, died on Saturday morning after a fall on an icy path. The area had been experiencing sub-zero temperatures, with the Met Office having issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice across Scotland.
It is believed that staff from a nearby Tesco store found the great-grandfather injured at around 7am. Emergency services were called, but sadly, Mr Kelly was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lorraine's Heartbreaking Tribute to Her Father
The 66-year-old broadcaster announced the devastating news in an emotional Instagram post. She wrote: "My dad has died. I am mourning the man who bought me a telescope when I was five years old, who watched the moon landings with me and taught me to always be curious and interested in everything."
She acknowledged that her father had been in poor health, but stated his passing was "still been a shock." Lorraine extended her thoughts to others who have experienced similar loss, saying she and her brother Graham understood that feeling.
John Kelly had been married to Lorraine's mother for over six decades. The couple also have a son, Graham, who is six years younger than his famous sister. In her statement, Lorraine emphasised that the family's priority is now caring for her mother and asked for privacy during this distressing time.
Lorraine had previously spoken publicly about her father's health struggles, revealing in 2021 that he had heart failure and had survived a major lung infection initially feared to be cancer. She also spoke of the difficulty of being separated from her parents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
