Adrian Logan, who was a colleague of Gerry’s at UTV, described Kelly as a “larger-than-life character”.
“He was a colossus in UTV,” Adrian said.
“Everybody in the place just loved him. He treated everybody fairly and equally, he was such a good fella.”
Adrian said that the man many knew from TV was the same off screen.
“I will remember Gerry just the way he appeared on the screen because that was him.
“There were no airs or graces with him.”
Adrian added that Gerry’s family “will be absolutely heartbroken”.
Posting on social media, Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly said Kelly had “a face and a voice that so many generations across Northern Ireland were familiar with”.
“A much-loved presenter with a huge character,” she said.
“He interviewed so many, many hundreds of people across decades including his famous clip with a young Rory McIlroy and the wash machine!”
