2026 Feet Under

[tiger_rick]

Really liked Danny in a space that's full of absolute weapons. An outstanding broadcaster and a warm and funny man. Think I last heard him on 5 Live last season talking a lot of sense about why Thomas Frank hadn't worked out at Spurs. Didn't realise he'd gotten so ill. Will be missed.

[gmoney]

One of my favourite Danny Kelly stories, he took part in a debate in the 90s about whether the internet would take over print media. He was team print media, brought out a pad and pot of ink and argued we'll never abandon print because it's a physical thing  that can be trusted, not like the ephemeral digital world. In a bombastic flourish, he ate a page of the paper and drank the ink. Then as he sat there with ink dribbling down his chin trying to swallow the paper, he listened to the rebuttal and thought "fuck, I'm on the wrong side here..." He founded Football365 shortly afterwards and made a fortune. 

[mim731]

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

Didn't realise he'd gotten so ill. Will be missed.

I believe he had taken some time off his TalkSport show 6 months or so ago as he was unwell, and it sounded pretty serious. So it's not wildly surprising, but very sad. One of the lads on the Football Ramble was very close with him, so I'd expect a fitting tribute from them in the coming days, which I'm sure will be lovely/heart-breaking. I really liked Kelly, he seemed really sound in a realm dominated by idiots. RIP. 

[Sergio Mendacious]

Danny Kelly was an absolute diamond, I spent endless hours listening to Kelly and Baker in the 90s. His University of Turmoil bits are hands down the funniest thing I've ever heard (listening to them right now). Stan Collymore's tweet today destroyed me.

[tiger_rick]

23 minutes ago, Sergio Mendacious said:

Danny Kelly was an absolute diamond, I spent endless hours listening to Kelly and Baker in the 90s. His University of Turmoil bits are hands down the funniest thing I've ever heard (listening to them right now). Stan Collymore's tweet today destroyed me.

Aw, man, that's really nice.

For anyone who doesn't want to go there:

Spoiler

This morning I was told of the passing of my good friend and colleague, Danny Kelly. The tributes to him in the coming days from those who knew him and worked with him will give you an idea of how much he was loved.

I loved him too. Very much so. A man who I called "Dad" on air because I wished he was. I hope you give me a few minutes to read my thoughts, and I hope they do you justice, Dan.

By 2008 I was a mess. I would sleep 18 hours a day, the other 6 mostly wanting to die. Once or twice a week I would open my laptop, organise football tabs, gossip and news as prep for jobs in broadcasting that I knew would never come, "just in case". When hope dies, we die, after all.

Then Danny Kelly came into my life.

I was driving out of London having been to see a psychiatrist about the state I was in and had BBC London on the radio. Danny was presenting with a guest, reviewing books. My name came up in the conversation, so I called in.

We hit it off straight away, talked about football for what seemed like forever but was probably a standard 10-12 minute section. But for me it sparked a temporary respite from sleep and chronic mental health issues and even for that I was grateful.

A couple of years later Danny joined talkSPORT to do the 7-10pm slot through the week. He told me he was offered a few co-presenters but he remembered that conversation we had and he wanted me to do it. 

A lifeline of work, passionately talking about our sport, having fun and feeling a value as a human again. Something lost for 7 long years. 

Danny gifted me that. Without that I know I wouldn't be writing this today.

"Always fresh, never frozen" was the tagline in a Domino's read we had to do in the show, something we'd instinctively greet each other with until our last meeting, in a pub, broadcasting for talkSPORT around 3 years ago. I didn't know that time would be the last, but perhaps fittingly we hugged as I left, I'm glad I did. 

The shows were loved. They were funny, honest, insightful and I hope, along with Saggers after that, proof that Danny's belief in me was worthy. But to say my love for him was only thanks for a job doesn't even scratch the surface.

His kindness, his phone calls late at night ( Dan was a notorious night owl) of support, his man hugs, his indomitable spirit, his big brain on anything from football to music to geopolitics, his love, as I know many others will testify, came from the biggest of hearts and the biggest of souls housed in a giant of a man in every sense.

Dan, thank you, thank you for the kindness, the fun, the hope, the support and for being someone to look up to and aspire to be. 

I love you very much, I know I'll hug you again some day. Thank you for everything.

"I love football Stan, I love it ".

 

[Sergio Mendacious]

 

[johnnyboy]

 

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

6 minutes ago, johnnyboy said:

 

I watched that earlier JB and it did me in completely. Not a bad word to be said about Danny Kelly. He was always a real joy to hear on the airwaves. 

[johnnyboy]

2 hours ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I watched that earlier JB and it did me in completely. Not a bad word to be said about Danny Kelly. He was always a real joy to hear on the airwaves. 

Yeah, as soon as Paul Hawksbee had a little flutter I went.  It's lovely that he's so fondly remembered.

[TheBurningRed]

There’s a ten hour playlist of Baker and Kellys Talk Radio show from between 1997-1999 for anyone wanting some nostalgia. 

Edited 3 hours ago by TheBurningRed

[HandsomeButchIII]

Under the Moon, NFL with Gary Imlach, and the Sunday Night long form interviews and documentaries on Sunday evenings he did on TalkShite (The only good thing on there), not to mention his work with Danny Baker. A colossus of sports programming. Before Live and Dangerous on Channel 5, Under the Moon was fantastic television. Radio on the Television, by a great broadcaster.

Will be much missed.