Keith Chegwin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keith Chegwin
Chegwin in 1981
Born	(1957-01-17)17 January 1957 Walton, Liverpool, England
Died	11 December 2017(2017-12-11) (aged 60) Shropshire, England
Occupation	Broadcaster, actor
Years active	1967–2017
Spouse(s)	Maggie Philbin ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1993)​ Maria Fielden ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	2
Relatives	Janice Long (sister)

Keith Chegwin (born January 17, 1957 – died December 11, 2017) was a famous English TV presenter and actor. Many people knew him as Cheggers. He was well-known for hosting fun children's shows in the 1970s and 1980s. Some of his most popular shows included Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop.

Before his TV career, Keith performed in plays in London's West End. He also sang and released music. For a while, he worked as a radio DJ in Liverpool and on BBC Radio 1. Keith was known for his quick thinking and funny comments on TV. He always said that no one ever wrote his lines for him!

In 2012, he was going to be on Dancing on Ice. Sadly, he had to quit after breaking ribs and hurting his shoulder. In 2015, he was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother. He finished in fourth place on that show. Keith Chegwin passed away in 2017 from a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Keith Chegwin's Early Life

Keith Chegwin was born in Walton, Liverpool, England, on January 17, 1957. When he was young, he won a talent show in Rhyl, North Wales. After that, he joined a group called 'The Happy Wanderers'. They performed in pubs and clubs around the North West.

A talent scout saw him on a children's TV show called Junior Showtime. She invited him to London to try out for a play. Keith went to stage school with his twin brother, Jeff. While at school, he got many roles in TV shows, movies, and plays.

Acting Roles as a Child

Keith appeared in films for the Children's Film Foundation. These included The Troublesome Double (1967) and Egghead's Robot (1970). One of his most important acting roles was in the film Macbeth (1971). He also had a small part in The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973).

In 1973, he was in the first episode of Open All Hours. He also appeared in other TV shows like The Liver Birds and The Tomorrow People. His last big acting role was in the film Robin Hood Junior (1975). Keith also appeared in TV commercials for popular products like Pepsi and Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Music and Radio

Keith performed in famous West End plays. These included Tom Brown's School Days and Captain Pugwash. He also had a singing career. He released songs like 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again'. Keith worked as a DJ for 194 Radio City in Liverpool. He also spent four years working on BBC Radio 1 with Tony Blackburn.

Keith Chegwin's Career in Television

Keith Chegwin performing in 1981

In the mid-1970s, Keith Chegwin started focusing on presenting TV shows. He became a very well-known face in British homes. He hosted popular shows like Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976–82) and Cheggers Plays Pop (1978–86). In the 1980s, he also presented Saturday Superstore.

On Swap Shop, Keith would travel around Britain for live broadcasts. These were called Swaparama. He helped children swap their toys at outdoor events. He had a similar role on Superstore. Keith, along with his Swap Shop co-presenters, even released a pop song. As the group Brown Sauce, they had a hit song called "I Wanna Be a Winner" in 1982.

Later TV Work

Keith was famous for his natural, unscripted style of presenting. He always said that no one ever wrote his words for him. After a quieter period, Keith's career picked up again in 1993. He presented a segment on The Big Breakfast. He then hosted the main show from 1995 to 1996.

He also hosted a cooking show called The Heat is On in 1997. From 1999 to 2000, Keith presented a new version of the game show It's a Knockout on Channel 5. In 2000, he even had his own internet TV show. It reached over 250,000 viewers daily during its trial.

Other Appearances

Keith Chegwin worked for seven years on GMTV. In 2006, he appeared as himself in the comedy series Extras. He also wrote jingles for the Chris Moyles Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1. For several years, he ran his own online bingo site called Cheggersbingo.

In 2007, Keith voiced and starred in a video game called Cheggers Party Quiz. A computer version of him acted as the quizmaster. In 2011, he played himself in the comedy horror film Kill Keith. He also appeared in another comedy series, Life's Too Short. In 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Reality TV Awards.

Dancing on Ice and Other Shows

Keith was supposed to be on Dancing on Ice in 2012. However, he had to leave after breaking three ribs and hurting his shoulder. He later joined the show in 2013 with partner Olga Sharutenko. He was eliminated on February 17, 2013.

In 2013, he was on a celebrity episode of The Chase. In 2014, he was a contestant on BBC1's Pointless Celebrities. In 2015, he took part in Celebrity Big Brother and finished fourth. He also competed in Celebrity MasterChef that year. Keith also made a cameo in the comedy-drama A Gert Lush Christmas.

In his later years, Keith was a popular pantomime dame. In 2016, he appeared in the Easter pantomime tour of Beauty and the Beast.

Keith Chegwin's Family Life

From 1982 to 1993, Keith Chegwin was married to TV presenter Maggie Philbin. They had a daughter together. Later, he married Maria Anne Fielden, and they had a son.

His older sister was the DJ Janice Long. Keith also had a twin brother named Jeff. Jeff's son, Hugo Chegwin, is also involved in TV. He helped create and starred in the BBC Three comedy People Just Do Nothing. Keith often made public appearances and helped with charity work. Keith and his wife lived in Shropshire, England, to be closer to their family.

Death of Keith Chegwin

Keith Chegwin passed away at his home in Shropshire on December 11, 2017. He had been ill for a long time with a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 60 years old.

Filmography

See also

• List of Celebrity Big Brother (British TV series) housemates
• List of Dancing on Ice contestants