Cat Deeley is a 49-year-old British television presenter who co-hosts ITV’s This Morning with Ben Shephard. She turns 50 on 23 October 2026. She became famous on SMTV Live and CD:UK, spent 18 years hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, and returned to the UK in 2020. She and comedian Patrick Kielty announced their separation in July 2025. Her exact net worth has never been verified, but online estimates range from $7 million to $18 million, and her This Morning deal is reported at about £600,000 a year.
Cat Deeley at a Glance
Cat Deeley Quick Facts
| Full name | Catherine Elizabeth Deeley |
| Known as | Cat Deeley |
| Born | 23 October 1976 |
| Age | 49, turning 50 on 23 October 2026 |
| Birthplace | West Bromwich, West Midlands, England |
| Grew up | Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr, Birmingham |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Television presenter, actress and former model |
| Current role | Co-presenter of ITV’s This Morning (Monday to Thursday) |
| Presenting partner | Ben Shephard, since March 2024 |
| Known for | SMTV Live, CD:UK, So You Think You Can Dance |
| Husband | Patrick Kielty (married 2012, separated 2025) |
| Children | Two sons, Milo and James |
| Height | Commonly reported as 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Net worth | Not officially verified (online estimates $7m to $18m) |
Who Is Cat Deeley?
Cat Deeley is an English presenter who built a career on both sides of the Atlantic. British viewers first knew her from Saturday morning children’s television. American viewers knew her as the host of a major dance competition. Since 2024 she has been back on British screens every week, a path that stands out in our guide to UK daytime TV presenters.
How Old Is Cat Deeley?
Cat Deeley was born on 23 October 1976, so she is 49 years old. She turns 50 on 23 October 2026. She has now spent almost three decades on television, starting with her first presenting job in 1997.
Early Life and Education
Deeley was born at Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich and grew up in the Birmingham area, including Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr. She attended Grove Vale Junior School, Dartmouth High School and Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. She is also a well-known West Bromwich Albion supporter.
How She Started Out
At 14 she entered a regional The Clothes Show modelling competition and reached the national finals. She later signed with the Storm modelling agency and worked as a model until 1997, when she moved into television.
Cat Deeley’s Career Timeline
| Years | Programme or milestone | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Hitlist UK | First TV job, co-presenting on MTV with Edith Bowman |
| 1998 to 2002 | SMTV Live | Co-presented with Ant & Dec on ITV |
| 1998 to 2005 | CD:UK | ITV’s Saturday music chart show |
| 2001 | Children’s BAFTA | Won for her children’s TV work |
| 2002 to 2003 | Fame Academy | Co-presenter on BBC One |
| 2003 to 2006 | Stars in Their Eyes | Presenter on ITV |
| 2006 to 2024 | So You Think You Can Dance (US) | Host on Fox from season two, 17 seasons in total |
| 2011 to 2015 | Emmy nominations | Five nominations for Outstanding Host |
| 2012 | Critics’ Choice Television Award | Best Reality Show Host |
| 2020 | Return to the UK | Family moved back from Los Angeles |
| 2023 | This Morning | Guest presenter |
| 2024 to present | This Morning | Permanent co-presenter with Ben Shephard |
| 2025 | The Joe Schmo Show | Host on TBS (US) |
Cat Deeley and SMTV Live
SMTV Live was ITV’s chaotic Saturday morning children’s show, and it made her a household name. She co-presented it with Ant & Dec from 1998 to 2002 and won a Children’s BAFTA in 2001. Live children’s television gave her a lasting skill: staying calm when things go wrong. You can read more about her co-stars in our Ant and Dec net worth guide.
CD:UK and Stars in Their Eyes
Alongside SMTV Live, she presented the music chart show CD:UK from 1998 to 2005. She then hosted Stars in Their Eyes from 2003 to 2006, which moved her from children’s television into mainstream prime time.
Cat Deeley’s Career in America
In 2006 she moved to the United States and began hosting Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, taking over from season two. She stayed for 17 seasons, until 2024. She also guest-hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Today and Live with Regis and Kelly, appeared in the comedy Deadbeat and did voice work on The Simpsons. In 2025 she hosted TBS’s The Joe Schmo Show.
How Her TV Career Splits (approximate years, 1997 to 2026)
- UK television, 1997 to 2006 (about 9 years)
- US hosting, 2006 to 2024 (about 18 years)
- This Morning, 2024 to 2026 (about 2 years)
Rounded from dates in public biographies. Some periods overlap, for example occasional UK work during her US years.
Did Cat Deeley Win an Emmy?
No. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Programme five times, in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, all for So You Think You Can Dance. She has not won a Primetime Emmy, so any page saying otherwise is wrong. She did win the 2012 Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Reality Show Host.
Cat Deeley’s Major Award Record
Source: Television Academy and public biographies.
Why Did Cat Deeley Move Back to the UK?
She lived in Los Angeles for about 15 years and returned to the UK in 2020. She has said her sons’ education was a major reason, and she has also spoken in past interviews about a security incident in 2019. No single reason explains the move. It also set up her later job at This Morning.
Cat Deeley on This Morning
Deeley guest-presented This Morning in 2023. In February 2024 ITV announced that she and Ben Shephard would be the permanent hosts, and they started in March 2024. She presents Monday to Thursday, with catch-up on ITVX. Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary cover Fridays. Both she and Shephard are experienced live broadcasters, which is why the current This Morning line-up has been the most settled the show has had in years.
Moving between the two countries meant changing her style. American entertainment is presented to a studio audience of hundreds. British daytime is presented to the camera as though talking to one person. Live shows like this are also where women presenters can find it harder to stay on screen as they get older, a theme covered in our guide to UK female journalists and broadcasters.
How Much Does Cat Deeley Earn on This Morning?
Press reports, including coverage that cites The Sun, say she signed a deal in late 2024 worth about £600,000 a year, running to spring 2026. ITV has not confirmed this figure, and ITV does not publish presenter pay. Treat it as a reported number, not an official salary. Any deal since spring 2026 has not been publicly confirmed.
Cat Deeley’s Husband, Patrick Kielty, and Their Separation
Cat Deeley married Northern Irish comedian and presenter Patrick Kielty on 30 September 2012 in Rome. On 29 July 2025 the couple announced they were separating after 12 years of marriage and asked for privacy for their family. Before Kielty, she had a long relationship with businessman Mark Whelan, from around 2001 to 2006.
Are Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty Divorced?
There is no public confirmation of a divorce. The correct wording today is “separated”. Some older websites still describe them as married, so check the date on any page you read.
Does Cat Deeley Have Children?
Yes. She has two sons, Milo and James. October 2026 press coverage reports them as aged 10 and 8. She keeps their faces and daily lives largely private, and the family has described a 50-50 co-parenting arrangement since the separation.
Cat Deeley’s Net Worth in 2026
No verified figure exists. Forbes, Bloomberg and the Sunday Times Rich List have not published a net worth for Cat Deeley, and the celebrity websites that do give a number do not show how they calculated it.
What Do Online Estimates Say?
Published Net Worth Estimates for Cat Deeley (unverified, US dollars)
None of these figures is audited or independently verified. The gap between the highest and lowest is $11 million.
The estimates differ so much because they use different dates and assumptions, and some appear to copy each other. Some may also mix in earnings from her husband’s production companies. That is wrong, because his income and businesses are separate from hers.
Cat Deeley’s Reported Salary and Earnings
| Item | Reported figure | Status |
|---|---|---|
| This Morning (UK) | About £600,000 a year | Reported by the press, not confirmed by ITV |
| So You Think You Can Dance (US) | About $60,000 per episode | Repeated by secondary sites, no primary source |
| So You Think You Can Dance (alternative claim) | About $1 million per season | Unverified |
| Brand and ambassador work | No fee published | Not publicly confirmed |
These are reported earnings, not total wealth. Pounds and dollars should not be added together without a stated exchange rate, so we have not done so.
How Does Cat Deeley Make Her Money?
- UK television presenting, including This Morning, CD:UK and Stars in Their Eyes
- US hosting, mainly 17 seasons of So You Think You Can Dance
- Other TV work, including guest hosting and acting
- Early modelling work
- Brand campaigns, with no confirmed fee values
Properties, Businesses and Liabilities
She owned a home in Los Angeles that was reported sold around the time of the family’s return to the UK, and she now lives in the London area. We have not published any address or property value, and a house price would not show her total wealth anyway. No company, shareholding or investment held personally by her has been verified here, and her debts and mortgages are not public. For comparison with other presenters, see our guide to Gary Lineker, another well-known British broadcaster.
Cat Deeley’s Charity Work
According to published profiles, she has been a patron of Great Ormond Street Hospital since 2003 and a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2009. No donation amounts have been publicly confirmed.
Cat Deeley in 2026
In 2026 she continues to present This Morning and is approaching her 50th birthday, which she has discussed in recent interviews. Her life in London and her wider public image also feature in our look at UK celebrity lifestyle.
Final Thoughts
Cat Deeley is 49 and has worked in television since 1997. She went from SMTV Live to 17 seasons on American television and back to the biggest daytime job in Britain. Her net worth is unverified, so the safest summary is a reported £600,000-a-year This Morning deal and a long US hosting career, with no audited total.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Cat Deeley?
She was born on 23 October 1976, so she is 49 and turns 50 on 23 October 2026.
What is Cat Deeley’s net worth?
No verified figure exists. Online estimates range from $7 million to $18 million, but none is audited.
Who is Cat Deeley’s husband?
She married Patrick Kielty in 2012. They announced their separation on 29 July 2025.
Are Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty divorced?
A divorce has not been publicly confirmed. They are described as separated.
How many children does Cat Deeley have?
She has two sons, Milo and James.
What does Cat Deeley do now?
She co-presents ITV’s This Morning with Ben Shephard, Monday to Thursday.
How much does Cat Deeley earn on This Morning?
Press reports say about £600,000 a year. ITV has not confirmed it.
Did Cat Deeley win an Emmy?
No. She received five Primetime Emmy nominations between 2011 and 2015 but has not won one.
Why did Cat Deeley return to the UK?
She moved back in 2020, mainly because of her sons’ education, after about 15 years in Los Angeles.
Where does Cat Deeley live?
She lives in the London area. Her address is private.
How tall is Cat Deeley?
She is commonly reported as 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m).
When is Cat Deeley’s birthday?
Her birthday is 23 October. She was born in 1976.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information. It reports publicly available details and what Cat Deeley has said publicly. Net worth and salary figures are unverified press or website estimates, not confirmed facts.