Matthew Kelly, the 75-year-old actor best known for presenting Stars in Their Eyes, has voiced his support for wokeness, describing it as “a good thing that’s been hijacked”. In a Q&A interview, he said that woke means “having empathy” and that he would bring it back if he could revive something extinct.
The Lancashire-born star, who returns to the stage this month in Waiting for Godot at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre, also criticised the insurance industry, calling it “such a scam”. He reflected on his career, declaring: “I’ve never done a day’s work in my life.”
Kelly, who studied at Manchester Polytechnic and acted at Liverpool Everyman before moving into TV, admitted his biggest disappointment was missing out on a role with a writer he long admired. He described himself as “friendly, opinionated, hilarious” and said the most important lesson life has taught him is “don’t dwell”.
The Olivier Award winner – who received the honour in 2004 for his role in Of Mice and Men – lives in London with his two children. He also revealed a guilty pleasure: watching Judge Judy.
