Dermott Donnelly, a much-loved Roman Catholic priest based in the family’s hometown of the North East, was being treated in North Durham Hospital after collapsing at his parish in Newcastle.
Donnelly, 55, is understood to have been “extremely unwell” following the incident, with parishioners urged to pray for his well-being during their next church service. News of his death was confirmed in a statement released on Friday afternoon by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, who wrote: “It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of Fr Dermott Donnelly, who passed away peacefully this afternoon at hospital. This was a big shock to all of us. “Please pray for the repose of his soul and keep his family, especially his mother, in your prayers at this difficult time. “Funeral arrangements will follow when completed. Rest in Peace.’ Tragic: Brother of Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain’s Got Talent presenter Declan Donnelly dies after being rushed to hospital with ‘mystery illness’ Rest in peace: News of his death was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday afternoon by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Donnelly was a regular guest on his brother’s traditional London-based shows, with the presenter often traveling to the North East to attend Mass and visit the youth programs that have been a labor of love for the priest since the 1990s. Following his hospitalisation, a statement from Stanley, Dipton & Byermoor Catholic Parishes read: “Please pray for Father Dermott who is extremely unwell in hospital. “Tomorrow afternoon between 6pm-7pm. there will be a period of time before the Blessed Sacrament so that we can come together as a community at St. Joseph’s Church to pray for Father Dermot’s well-being. “Please be respectful to Father Dermot and his family at this difficult time, we will update you as soon as we receive the most up-to-date information verified by the Diocese.” A source told The Sun: “December arrived with other family members. There are about 12 of them there in the hospital. It was very sudden and everyone is praying that it will pass.”

Support: Dermot was initially described as ‘seriously ill’, with his congregation asking to pray for him after his hospital stay (pictured left, with Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall at St Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle) Donnelly had started out as curate in Chester-le-Street until, two years later, he was asked by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle to set up a youth program aimed at bringing disadvantaged young people into the Catholic Church. He turned the Youth Ministry Group into a thriving concern and in 2010 started the World Youth Center in a former holiday camp in County Durham. Over a period of 30 years he continued to raise money for youth ministry, build the Emmaus Youth Village and develop youth leaders around the world. Speaking in 2015, Donnelly admitted that his association with the household name Dec helped him bridge the generation gap with young parishioners. He said: “I don’t advertise being Dec’s brother but the kids always seem to know. It bridges the gap between me and them.’ Goodwill: As recently as April he visited outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street, where he prayed for peace in war-torn Ukraine Groundbreaking: Donnelly had started out as a curate in Chester-le-Street until, two years later, he was asked by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle to set up a youth program As recently as April, he visited outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street, where he joined religious leaders, including His Excellency the Papal Nuncio and the Most Reverend Cardinal and members of the Ukrainian church hierarchy in the UK to pray for peace in the war-torn Ukraine. He said at the time: “It was a real privilege to join Christian leaders from many Downing Street churches and stand together in prayer, the silence was so profound. “It was a moment when the power of vulnerability met the vulnerability of power. The best weapon we had was prayer.’ Close: Speaking in 2015, Donnelly admitted his connection to the household name Dec (pictured) helped him bridge the generation gap with young parishioners Brothers: Dec has previously spoken about his close relationship with his brother (pictured together in 1995) Dec is one of seven children and grew up on Newcastle’s Cruddas Park estate with three brothers – Martin, Eamonn and Dermott – and three sisters – Camelia, Patricia and Moira. The presenter once admitted he also considered a career in the church before quickly realizing it wasn’t for him. He recalled: “Growing up was like The Waltons but in Newcastle. We all lived in a council house in Cruddas Park in the West End. The house had three bedrooms. “You don’t have to be a maths genius to know that three bedrooms and nine people equals a bit of pressure. “The four boys were in two sets of bunks in one room, the three girls were in another and my mum and dad had the third room. “My mum and dad, Anne and Alphonsus, came to Newcastle from Ireland in 1958. “You often find the Donnelly clan at the Tyneside Irish Center on a Saturday night and that’s where I had my first performing experiences.” He added: Later my brother Dermott trained to be a priest. When I was about 14, I briefly considered following in his footsteps. “Then one day I got the bus home from school and it was full of girls from the local girls’ school, Sacred Heart. I knew immediately and then that the priesthood was not for me.’ The millionaire presenter managed to buy his mother a £600,000 house in the upscale Darras Hall area of ​​Ponteland, near Newcastle, where neighbors include former England football captain Alan Shearer. Success: For over 30 years, Donnelly has raised money for youth ministry, building the Emmaus Youth Village and developing youth leaders around the world His older brother had also flirted with television thanks to an appearance on Junior Songs of Praise, during which he interviewed a puppet called Hacker T Dog about church life. In 2001 he had a more controversial brush with fame. After December, she was in negotiations to take part in a Channel 4 show called Confess. The show’s selling point was that it would encourage viewers to confess their sins on air, with a tagline: “Share your sins, relieve your soul.” Dermot was cast as the showbiz-savvy priest who, while not going so far as to offer them absolution as in a genuine confession, would at least advise them on the right course of action. A pilot show was filmed, but once it was announced, the outrage from the Catholic Church was strong enough to see it quietly dropped. Some of the kinder comments from church officials decried it as “intrusive” and “superficial.” MailOnline has contacted a spokesman for further comment.
Link: Donnelly was a regular on his brother’s shows, while Declan often traveled to the North East to attend Mass (pictured together in 1995)