Lorraine Kelly, who recently honored the memory of The Vivienne, will be opening the 20th International Island Games in July 2025
Lorraine Kelly to host opening ceremony of major sporting event this year
On January 15, it was announced that TV presenter and journalist Lorraine Kelly had been chosen to host the opening ceremony of the 20th International Island Games. She will reportedly be co-hosted by BBC radio presenter Stewart Bain. The event will be held in Orkney in the middle of July (12 – 18 July). Lorraine admitted that she has been a regular traveler to Orkney for the past forty years, so she considers the islands her “happy place”. Kelly said she was honored to host the opening ceremony. She added it was an incredible opportunity and she was looking forward to meeting both the participants and the fans. Lorraine also shared that hosting the 2025 Games in Orkney is a wonderful chance to tell the world how amazing these islands are.
The sporting event is expected to attract more than 2,000 athletes from 24 islands, competing in 12 sports. However, the number of sports can vary and sometimes reach fourteen. Several times the number of sports even reached fifteen! The Island Games are held every two years, with participating islands taking turns hosting the event. The previous Games were held in Guernsey, and in 2027 they will be held in the Faroe Islands. Every year more and more athletes and spectators turn their attention to this competition, making it more and more grandiose. The Games are now officially known as the NatWest International Island Games. This multi-sport event was first held 40 years ago, in 1985.
Jersey has the most gold medals – 634! In second place is Guernsey, which has 536 medals, and in third place is the Isle of Man with 530 gold medals.
Lorraine Kelly is a great choice for such a significant event! Not only she, but also her colleagues and fans are looking forward to her appearance at the ceremony in July 2025. She is the host who will make everything perfect. It is also a wonderful opportunity for Lorraine to diversify her long-standing work and add something new to her extensive filmography.
Lorraine Kelly, 65, has continued to win over TV audiences for 40 years, appearing on hit shows for ITV and STV. Over the years, Kelly has been awarded many awards and honours. Thus, in 2014, in honor of the 30th anniversary of her TV career, she received a special Scottish BAFTA award. In 2012, for services to charity and the armed forces, Kelly was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and in 2020, thanks to her work in journalism and broadcasting, she was also promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2004, Lorraine was even elected rector of the University of Dundee, becoming the first woman to hold this post. In 2024, Lorraine became a contestant on The Masked Singer, where she appeared in an Owl costume. Despite her long work, the presenter is starting to think about retirement.
During the show Kelly shares memories of the late The Vivienne
On Monday’s Lorraine show on January 6, Kelly spoke of her shock when she learned of the death of The Vivienne, who has passed away at the age of 32. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner’s death.
When Drag Race ended, Lorraine has spoken to The Vivienne several times, so her sudden death left the 65-year-old TV personality deeply shaken. Having learned the sad news late the night before, Kelly could not believe what she heard. She fondly remembers The Vivienne as a funny and witty person. Lorraine asked for respect for the deceased’s family and fans, and for the police statements to be believed. She also called for an end to any speculation on the matter.
The Vivienne, also known as James Lee Williams, passed away on January 5. This was announced in a statement on X by Simon Jones, a publicist and close friend of the Drag Race UK winner. He asked for some time for the family to process and cope with this loss. However, Simon stressed that his family was very proud of what James had achieved in his lifetime.
