Ian Kelsey

Ian Kelsey is a British television actor, awards host and live event presenter best known for his long-running and memorable roles across some of the UK’s most loved drama series, including Emmerdale, Casualty, Coronation Street and Doctors. With a career spanning more than three decades, Ian has become a familiar and trusted presence on screen and on stage. His natural ease with live audiences, quick wit and polished delivery make him a confident choice for awards ceremonies, corporate events and speaker-led evenings. Blending storytelling with warmth and humour, Ian brings professionalism and personality in equal measure, ensuring every event feels engaging, well-paced and highly memorable.

Ian’s journey into acting is as distinctive as the stories he now shares on stage. After leaving school in the 1980s, he spent six years working on the railways before moving into construction, building conservatories. A serious allergy to cedar wood unexpectedly forced a career change, becoming the unlikely turning point that led him into performance. From there, Ian built a career that placed him repeatedly in front of huge national audiences, including live television moments watched by as many as 24 million viewers. Along the way, he became known for navigating high-pressure, unscripted situations with humour and resilience, from live entertainment shows to moments where spontaneity took over, and the cameras kept rolling.

Alongside his screen career, Ian has built an impressively varied body of stage and live event experience. His theatre work ranges from early fringe performances at the King’s Head in Islington, where access to the stage could involve climbing ladders and entering through a kitchen window, to prestigious appearances such as performing at 11 Downing Street and taking to the stage at the Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago. Beyond performance, Ian has become a trusted figure for high-profile live events, having hosted the National Dental Awards, co-hosted the National Soap Awards and acted as auctioneer for numerous charitable organisations, where his timing, clarity and audience awareness are invaluable.

Ian is hired as a speaker and host for his rare combination of professionalism, relatability and lived experience in front of both cameras and crowds. Drawing on three decades of stories that range from laugh-out-loud moments to reflective insights, his “Audience with” show offers a compelling blend of humour, honesty and warmth. Away from the stage, Ian’s love of travel, often by motorbike or campervan, is shared through vlogs on Instagram and YouTube, giving audiences a deeper sense of his personality and authenticity. Whether hosting awards, leading a live ceremony or delivering an engaging after-dinner talk, Ian brings energy, control and genuine connection, ensuring events run smoothly while leaving audiences thoroughly entertained.