Former Sky Sports pundit Richard Keys marries his daughter’s friend 30 years his junior after split from wife

28 June 2023, 10:45 | Updated: 28 June 2023, 11:26

Sports broadcaster Richard Keys has wed his daughter’s best friend in a secretive ceremony attended by close family and friends.

Mr Keys, 66, is said to have tied the knot with Lucie Rose, 35 - a friend of his daughter Jemma, who was not among guests at the wedding.

It comes several years after he split from his wife of 36 years Julia, after news of the couple’s relationship emerged.

Julia has previously described how his new relationship ‘devastated’ her world while she was recovering from thyroid cancer.

She said the affair ruined her daughter’s career as an actress and left her struggling with mental health issues.

Mr Keys has previously denied claims that he walked away from his wife while she was battling cancer.

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Their wedding was postponed several times due to Covid-19 but they have now exchanged vows in a civil ceremony that took place at a picturesque Devon village.

Ahead of the wedding, Mr Keys told the Sun: “I’m a very lucky man, although feeling a bit nervous.

“We’re heading off to Canada for our honeymoon which is a bit different.

“Then it’s back to work for both of us in August and the start of the football season for me.”

Richard and Lucie, 35, were spotted on social media wining and dining at the five-star Mandrake Hotel in West London in the days leading up to the wedding.

In September 2016 it emerged that Julia Keys had filed for divorce on grounds of adultery amid accusations her husband had an affair with Lucie.

Mr Keys was sacked in disgrace from his £500,000-a-year job fronting Sky’s Premier League coverage in 2011 after making disparaging remarks about female referee Sian Massey-Ellis.

He and co-presenter Andy Gray were overhead off-air making remarks about the premier league official claiming she didn’t know the offside rule.

He is now the face of the BeIN Sports channels which broadcasts all 365 Premier League games per season mainly on its flagship "Super Saturday" programme.