Ewen MacIntosh, Best Known As Keith On The U.K. Version Of The Office, Has Died At 50
Ewen MacIntosh, the British character best known for his scene-stealing work as Keith on the original U.K. version of "The Office," has passed away at the age of 50. His cause of death remains unknown, but the BBC reports that he died at the Willow Green Care Home in Darlington. In a statement, MacIntosh's friend Ed Scott praised those who cared for him before his death:
"Thanks to the incredible care and love provided by the wonderful medical staff and especially the nurses who all loved him when he brought a smile to their days."
MacIntosh was not a household name, but comedy fans, and especially those who are familiar with the original incarnation of "The Office," surely remember Keith. A dull, slow-speaking, Scotch egg-devouring weirdo with a passion for DJ-ing, Keith embodied what the series did so well — he genuinely felt like a very real, and very awful co-worker had somehow been ripped out of reality and transported to the TV screen. It remains a remarkably funny, and intentionally awkward, performance in a show that helped define modern cringe comedy.
Ewen MacIntosh: king of the Scotch egg comedy scene
Born in Merionethshire, Wales in 1973, MacIntosh became involved in theater in university and landed his big break in "The Office," which aired its first season in 2001. He would recur throughout both seasons, as well as the super-sized Christmas special finale. Although Keith was used sparingly on "The Office," he supplied some of the show's biggest laughs. He's especially remembered for a trio of scenes, spread across the series, where he casually takes a bite out of Scotch egg while having an uncomfortable conversation with another character. MacIntosh perfectly embodied a sense of realistic discomfort with his performance as Keith — he was someone no character on the series ever wanted to be around. It remains one of the most spot-on "awful co-worker" performances of all time, and personifies the acidic strengths of the U.K. "Office."
MacIntosh would go on to appear in other British comedy series like "Miranda" and "Little Britain," as well as films like "Finding Fatimah."
Stephen Merchant, co-creator of "The Office," paid tribute to MacIntosh on Instagram:
"I fondly recall we asked him to improvise an out-of-office message, and he was so hilarious we started writing more and more dialogue for him [...] He soon stole every scene he was in. A total one-off. A tragic loss."
Series star and co-creator Ricky Gervais also paid tribute on social media, calling MacIntosh a "total original."