In August 2022, Kelly was announced as the host of a new chat show on ABC TV called Frankly. Her appointment attracted criticism from a number of newspaper columnists who all opined that the job should have been given to someone much younger. This prompted a public debate about the apparent ageist attitudes and discrimination towards older women in the media. ABC chair Ita Buttrose and Kelly's successor at RN Breakfast Patricia Karvelas were also criticised after they both defended Kelly against what they perceived to be ageist attitudes.
