As of 2026, Patrick Kielty’s net worth remains private, with no officially verified figure available. Kielty earns income from broadcasting roles and media production ventures. He has a three-year RTÉ contract to present The Late Late Showat €250,000 per 30-episode season, and he hosts a Saturday-morning programme on BBC Radio 5 Live.
He also co-founded media production companies, including Green Inc. Film & Television in Los Angeles and Boxed Productions Ltd in Ireland, which have reported profits and assets. Green Inc. posted a £196,400 profit in 2022, while Boxed Productions had £1.1 million in shareholder funds in 2022. Earnings from other activities, such as stand-up tours and acting roles, are not publicly detailed.
| Fact | Verified Information |
| Born | 31 January 1971, Dundrum, Northern Ireland |
| Education | Queen’s University Belfast (Psychology) |
| Profession | Comedian, TV presenter, actor |
| Breakthrough | Last Chance Lottery (Channel 4, 1999) |
| BBC Show | Patrick Kielty Almost Live |
| Major Role | Host of RTÉ’s The Late Late Show (since 2023) |
| Radio | BBC Radio 5 Live (Saturday host) |
| Award | Grierson Award (2018 documentary) |
| Film | Ballywalter (2023 acting debut) |
| Early Career | Co-founded Belfast comedy club The Empire Laughs Back |
| Sports Background | Played for Down GAA minor team (All-Ireland winners, 1987) |
| Documentary Recognition | BAFTA-nominated for My Dad, The Peace Deal and Me |
| TV Panel Work | Hosted Stand Up For the Week (Channel 4) |
| Late Late Contract | Signed multi-season hosting deal with RTÉ (from 2023) |
| Net Worth (2026) | Not publicly disclosed |
Patrick Kielty’s career spans Belfast comedy roots, national broadcasting, BBC radio, and The Late Late Show. Patrick Kielty’s Late Late Show contract and related payments are publicly documented. He signed a three-year RTÉ deal covering 90 episodes in total, beginning in September 2023. The agreement pays him €250,000 per 30-episode season, plus a one-off €20,000 pre-production fee.
In disclosure to a parliamentary committee, Kielty stated, “I’m being paid €250,000 per 30 show season,” and confirmed that he would cover his own travel costs, waiving about €50,000 in flight and accommodation claims. RTÉ’s 2024 annual report, covering 2023/24, later listed Kielty as earning €257,657 through his company Pamanco Ireland Ltd, making him RTÉ’s third-highest-paid presenter that year. Independent financial filings for Pamanco Ireland Ltd show that the company recorded €173,273 in pre-tax profit in 2024, its first financial year after the Late Late Show deal began, reflecting the substantial revenues from this role.
Kielty’s radio broadcasting work also forms part of his income profile. In 2022, he took over the 9–11 am Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 5 Live, beginning on 3 September 2022. The BBC confirmed that he would continue hosting the weekly show from its Belfast studios after finishing his Late Late Show shift in Dublin. When joining RTÉ, Kielty also said he would broadcast the Saturday BBC programme from Northern Ireland. Specific salary details for the 5 Live role have not been published, but as a regular contracted presenter, it provides steady professional income alongside his RTÉ work.
Beyond his flagship roles, Kielty has presented a range of TV programmes across his career, including BBC entertainment specials and ITV segments, adding to his wider earnings profile. That activity is reflected in the performance of his UK production company, Boxed Productions Ltd.
For the financial year to March 2023, before his Late Late tenure, Boxed Productions reported £234,649 in post-tax profit, raising its retained earnings to about £1.37 million. By the year to March 2025, overlapping two Late Late seasons, the company still posted a solid profit of £137,339. Its filings, required by UK law for private firms, do not itemize revenues or salaries, but the sizeable profits and accumulated assets point to substantial income from Kielty’s broadcasting and production work.
Patrick Kielty’s long-running TV presenting work helped build his verified media earnings. Patrick Kielty began his entertainment career in Belfast’s stand-up comedy scene. He became locally known as the host of The Empire Laughs Back, Northern Ireland’s first comedy club. That early success led to sold-out live tours across Ireland and Britain, establishing him as a leading regional comedian. His achievements in the 1990s helped pave the way for his move into television.
In early 1997, Kielty gained national exposure as host of Channel 4’s live Saturday-night game show Last Chance Lottery. Produced by Green Inc. for Channel 4, the series aired ten episodes between January and March 1997. Kielty brought his energetic comedy style to a wider British audience, marking his move from Northern Ireland television into UK network broadcasting.
Kielty raised his profile further with Patrick Kielty Almost Live, a comedy chat show produced by BBC Northern Ireland. The programme aired weekly on BBC One from July 1999 until August 2003. Built around humor and interviews, it featured local and international guests and strengthened Kielty’s reputation as a prominent television presenter across Ireland and the UK.
In 2022, Kielty expanded into radio by joining BBC Radio 5 Live. In August 2022, it was announced that he would take over the station’s regular Saturday morning show, airing from 9am to 11am. He began presenting the slot on 3 September 2022, succeeding the previous hosts and bringing his trademark humor to the airwaves.
The show combines sports previews, interviews with entertainment guests, and listener participation. Kielty said he was excited to be on “the other side of the mic” and was “really looking forward to having some craic” with the 5 Live audience.
In May 2023, RTÉ announced that Kielty would succeed Ryan Tubridy as presenter of The Late Late Show. He took over the iconic Friday-night chat show in September 2023, becoming only the fourth permanent host in its 61-year history.
Kielty said he was “absolutely thrilled” to be the next host of The Late Late Show and described the appointment as “a real honour.” As host, he interviews major public figures, entertainers, and cultural personalities on Ireland’s flagship television talk show, reinforcing his position as one of the leading presenters in Irish broadcasting.
Patrick Kielty studied Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast and is listed as a BSc Psychology 1992 alumnus.
Yes. Ulster University awarded Patrick Kielty an Honorary Doctorate in 2024 for his outstanding contribution to the arts.
My Dad, The Peace Deal and Me received a 2019 BAFTA nomination for Best Single Documentary and won Best Documentary Presenter at the 2018 Grierson Awards.
Patrick Kielty made his big-screen acting debut in Ballywalter, playing Shane alongside IFTA nominee Seána Kerslake.
Patrick Kielty was born in Dundrum, Co. Down, and later built his early comedy career in Belfast.