Patrick Kielty thanks Late Late Show viewers after Cat Deeley split, removes wedding ring.

Patrick Kielty has thanked fans for their ‘love and support’ as he addressed his split from Cat Deeley in his first TV appearance since the announcement.

Patrick, 54, and Cat, 48, who have two sons together, announced the end of their 12-year marriage in July in a joint statement – insisting ‘no other party’ was involved. 

While Cat has not addressed the breakdown of their marriage since returning to This Morning following her summer break, Patrick has now broken his silence.

During the opening of the new series of his RTÉ chat show, The Late Late Show, he thanked viewers for their support – with his wedding ring noticeably removed.

Patrick said: ‘Honestly, it is so nice to be back with you, especially after this summer where I have genuinely been blown away by all of the love and support that you guys have sent my way.

‘One of the greatest joys of hosting this show is that you’re never alone.

‘So to all of you who have been so kind to me and my family these past few months, can I just say a huge go raibh míle maith agat [thank you very much]. 

‘It’s one of the many reasons why walking out here is always a privilege, why being back here tonight truly puts flesh on my bones and why it never gets old to say these words: Welcome to The Late Late Show!’

His emotional speech ended as viewers in the studio erupted into applause for the County Down native. 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Cat mysteriously wore a ring on her wedding finger, just weeks after being spotted with her wedding band off.  

Walking the NTA carpet, Cat channeled her Irish links with a £5,160 emerald green floor-length gown from Oscar de la Renta gown.  

Announcing their separation in July, Cat and Patrick said: ‘We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved.

‘We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment.’

Daily Mail previously revealed how Patrick’s family are still seething with Cat over her failure to attend his beloved mother’s funeral – and say they knew at that moment their marriage was over for good.

Her ‘no show’ back in March has left deep emotional scars within the Kielty family who say it confirmed for them that there was little chance of a reconciliation between the two. 

Clearly still upset at the anger and embarrassment it caused the family, one relative told the Daily Mail: ‘Whatever rockiness was going on in the marriage, something as momentous as his mother’s funeral, you would make up even temporarily and just put your ‘best face’ on as we say in Northern Ireland.

‘Cat obviously knew how close Patrick was to Mary and she should have come to be by his side, a hand on his shoulder as he buried his mother. The fact that she stayed in London and presented This Morning on the day, it’s not been forgotten.’

The source added: ‘In a very tight knit community in Northern Ireland, people always turn out. It’s the done thing. His family remain very upset by this. They still can’t believe it. It was the point when we all realised that that marriage had ended.’

Patrick looked bereft as he carried Mary’s coffin through his home village, where he was joined by close family and friends at the Church of the Sacred Heart.

A spokesperson for Cat told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Cat remained at home to be there for her two young children before and after school on this very sad day.’

Friends of the former couple recently told Daily Mail how they fear the divorce will get tricky over the contentious issue of a £5million ‘doer-upper’ house they purchased together.

They set to work back in 2023 to make the gloomy 1950s five-bedroom and it means ‘a lot’ to both of them, after being the centre of their lives in the past two years.