Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has broken his silence on claims that he left his wife of 34 years for his daughter’s best friend while his partner was undergoing cancer treatment.
It’s a sensational story, and many have used it over the years to take aim at the football pundit on social media – until now, Keys has mostly stayed silent. The 68-year-old once spearheaded Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League alongside long-time co-presenter Andy Grey, before both were dismissed in 2011 over sexist off-air remarks.
Richard Keys Reignites Laura Woods Row with Fresh ‘Respect’ Dig
The 68-year-old is still stung by the comments Laura Woods made towards him following the passing of Gabby Logan’s father in January.
They were recorded discussing Premier League assistant referee Sian Massey, claiming that a woman wouldn’t be able to understand the offside rule. After leaving the UK, Keys and Grey relocated to Qatar, where they have presented coverage of competitions such as the Champions League for beIN Sports.
Keys addresses Claims He Cheated on Wife with Cancer with Daughter’s Friend
Despite his career-related controversies, it’s his personal life which has been under constant scrutiny since his divorce in 2016. Keys’ ex-wife Julia, filed for divorce in 2016 after a diagnosis of thyroid cancer, on grounds of his alleged affair with his now-wife Lucie. The former would go on to write an infidelity survival guide, claiming that her ex-husband’s actions ‘didn’t just devastate my world, but the world of our children Jemma and Josh, too’.
But speaking to The Telegraph, Keys revealed that the reality around his divorce was different to the public perception. He said that it was true that he socialised with Lucie in Doha, as she worked for the Qatar Investment Authority, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund. Keys also admitted that his daughter was upset at finding out about the romantic connection, though Lucie was not her best friend as he explained:
“What’s damaging is that people presume I ran away with my daughter’s best mate, locked her in a room, and gave her no choice about whether she wanted to be with me or not.
“All of which is nonsense. Lucie’s one of the most powerful, strong-minded individuals you’ll come across. She’s deeply passionate about women’s rights. People see me as an easy target, but the narrative is not fair on her. It’s totally wrong.”
The journalist admitted in the interview: “I’ve never sat with anybody and talked about this, but I didn’t leave Julia dying of cancer, or suffering with cancer. Sadly, she had cancer in 2008 and ’09, and we ran into a genius surgeon who removed it. During that period, we travelled 30 days straight to find the best specialists at the best hospitals, the best anaesthetists.”
He Claims to have ‘No Regrets’ About his Divorce
Keys said that he was working at Arsenal on the day of his ex-wife’s operation, claiming that he wasn’t ‘uninterested’, instead claiming: “I just didn’t want people to know she was unwell or to bring in the intrusion that would naturally follow.”
Despite losing a number of mates when he decided to leave Julia for Lucie, he said he doesn’t have any regrets, despite admitting that he was ‘persona non grata’ for a period of time. At the age of 68, Keys recently had a life-saving aortic operation and acknowledged that he may not have much time left in front of the camera.
“I am beginning maybe the penultimate season of my life. Leaves aren’t coming off trees yet, but there’s a chance they’re going to be soon. So, I want to enjoy this period,” he concluded.
