Darren Kennedy (born 12 January 1981) is an Irish
television presenter
A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for ...
, entrepreneur, style expert and creative director from Dublin, Ireland now based between New York, Los Angeles and London. He has hosted television shows on Channel 5, BBC, ITV and RTÉ. He is the creator and co-founder of men's grooming brand Kennedy & Co.
Career
Broadcasting
Kennedy began his career in Ireland as a reporter on the
Gerry Ryan show
2FM and TV’s
Operation Transformation on
RTÉ One
RTÉ One ( ga, RTÉ a hAon) is an Irish free-to-air flagship television channel owned and operated by Raidió TeilifÃs Éireann (RTÉ). It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched as ''TelefÃs à ...
, and hosted celebrity entertainment series #Trending on
RTÉ 2
(RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, while ...
and regularly presented on
ITV 1's
This Morning alongside
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby ( ; born 10 February 1981) is an English television presenter, author and model. She is currently the co-presenter of ITV's '' This Morning'' (2009–present) and '' Dancing on Ice'' (2006–2011, 2018–present) alongsid ...
and
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield (born 1 April 1962) is an English television presenter who works for ITV. He is currently the co-presenter of ITV's '' This Morning'' (2002–present) and ''Dancing on Ice'' (2006–2014, 2018–present) alongside Holly ...
. He co-created and presented 'Gay Daddy', and co-presented and devised ''The Unemployables'' series with
Jennifer Maguire
Jennifer Zamparelli (née Maguire) (born 9 April 1980) is an Irish comedian and television presenter. She is known for her role on the TV show ''Republic of Telly'', where she was a primary writer, and as co-host of the 2FM morning show ''Breakf ...
. Well known and respected for his aesthetic & sense of style, his home was featured in ''Celebrity Home of The Year'' on RTE One. In 2019 he was a contestant on Dancing With The Stars. In March 2020, he was announced as one of the Fab Five on
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
's new flagship fashion makeover series ''You Are What You Wear'' with
Rylan Clark
Ross Richard Clark (born 25 October 1988), known professionally as Rylan, is an English broadcaster and model. He finished in fifth place on the ninth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2012, and the following year, he won the eleventh series of ...
. In January 2021, he took part in
Celebrity Mastermind
''Celebrity Mastermind'' is a celebrity version of ''Mastermind'', a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. It began in 2002 as a one-off special, expanding to the current arrangement of 10 episodes, broadcast during December a ...
.
As of January 2023, he is presentin
'Celebrity Closets'from Los Angeles on
ITV's Lorraine, also broadcast across the USA on Emmy Award winning entertainment news progamme
EXTRA, where he interviews celebrities at home as they take viewers on a trip down memory lane via their wardrobes. In April 2023, Kennedy launched his podcast
The Number where he explores the question can a life be measured in numbers? Each week, he asks his guests their seven most significant numbers and how they've shaped their lives. He is a prominent voice on
LGBT rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Notably, , 33 ...
an
activism
Dancing with the Stars
In 2019, Kennedy took part in the third series of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' on RTÉ. He was partnered with
Karen Byrne
Karen Byrne (born 30 May 1992) is an Irish dancer and choreographer. She is known as being one of the professional dancers on the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars.
Early life
Byrne was born in Ballyfermot in Dublin. She has been dancin ...
, they competed into the fifth week.
; Professional partner
:
Karen Byrne
Karen Byrne (born 30 May 1992) is an Irish dancer and choreographer. She is known as being one of the professional dancers on the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars.
Early life
Byrne was born in Ballyfermot in Dublin. She has been dancin ...
; Average: 16.5; Place: 9th
Fashion
He designed a contemporary suiting and outerwear collection in collaboration with Irish tailor Louis Copeland which produced six sell-out collections. He is a fashion ambassador for the UK highstreet optician
Specsavers
Specsavers Optical Group Ltd is a British multinational optical retail chain, which operates mainly in the UK, Ireland, Australasia and the Nordic countries. The chain offers optometry and optician services for eyesight testing and sells glasse ...
. He regularly works with some fashion brands including Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Topman. He has hosted for BAFTA, GQ, several seasons of
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week (LFW) is a clothing trade show that takes place in London twice a year, in February and September. Showcasing over 250 designers to a global audience of influential media and retailers, it is one of the 'Big Four' fashion wee ...
Festival for the British Fashion Council and live on the red carpet for the Brit Awards. Darren also regularly contributes to
Beverly Hills Lifestyle magazine.
Entrepreneur
Kennedy's first solo venture was in his early twenties when he established a style bureau providing consultancy services to personal and corporate clients including blue chip companies Google, Tommy Hilfiger and BMW. An offshoot of this business developed into an online magazine ''Help My Style''.
In November 2018, he launched Irish Made, skin and hair care brand Kennedy & Co. In 2020, the brand announced it had signed a deal to be distributed across the Middle East.
Awards
Kennedy is regularly nominated in most Stylish Man award categories. He was voted winner of Ireland's Most Stylish Man at the
VIP (magazine)
''VIP'' (standing for Very Important Person) is both the title of a magazine and a publishing group owned by the Irish publisher Michael O'Doherty.
The VIP group currently consists of three titles (VIP, TV Now, Stellar) and four companies (Min ...
Style Awards in 2013. He subsequently went on to host the televised awards show for three consecutive years on TV3.
In 2016 he was nominated for the
IFTA Film & Drama Awards
The IFTA Film & Drama Awards are awards given by the Irish Film & Television Academy for Irish television and film, the awards began in 1999. The ceremonies recognise Irish creative talent working in film, drama, and television, and winners receiv ...
TV Rising Star award.
Kennedy was named Most influential Fashion Journalist in Ireland in the annual Murray Twitter Index.
Murray Twitter Index
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References
External links
Official site
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Darren
1981 births
Irish expatriates in the United Kingdom
Living people
Television personalities from Dublin (city)
Television presenters from the Republic of Ireland
Irish LGBT broadcasters
21st-century Irish LGBT people
People educated at St Aidan's C.B.S.
Alumni of Dublin Institute of Technology