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 Keith Allen
The Sheriff of Nottingham in the BBC's new version of Robin Hood, Keith's also an experienced writer, director, and presenter. His acting credits include Viva Blackpool, Bodies, and the cult movies Shallow Grave and Trainspotting. In 1998 he scored a chart hit with the football anthem, Vindaloo.
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Keith played Mr Tony Whitman in two series of Bodies, in 2004 and 2005, alongside Max Beesley and Patrick Baladi. The programme was originally shown on BBC THREE, before getting a BBC TWO repeat.
He'll shortly be following in the footsteps of Alan Rickman by playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. He stars with North & South's Richard Armitage, who plays Guy of Gisbourne, and newcomer Jonas Armstrong as Robin.
His other drama and comedy credits include Viva Blackpool (2006), Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001), Roger Roger (1998), and Martin Chuzzlewit (1994). He's guested in Hotel Babylon (2006) and New Tricks (2005), and appeared in a 2001 episode of Murder In Mind alongside Steve McFadden, aka EastEnders' Phil Mitchell.
Keith's appeared in many films. They include the cult 90s hits Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, which both starred Ewan McGregor, The Others, with Nicole Kidman and Christopher Eccleston, and 24 Hour Party People, with Steve Coogan.
He's presented several TV shows including Manchester Passion, and documentaries about Mohamed Al Fayed* and controversial lottery winner Michael Carroll. He also appeared in 2005's Art School, which saw celebrities training to be artists.
In the 1980s and 90s, he was part of The Comic Strip team, writing, producing, directing and starring in episodes such as Detectives on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Crying Game and The Yob.
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His daughter Lily Allen* is hotly tipped by critics for a successful music career, with a sound described as a mix between Corinne Bailey Rae* and The Streets*.
Brother Kevin Allen is also an actor, director and one time host of the BBC's football magazine show, Standing Room Only. Kevin directed the film Twin Town*, in which Keith appeared.
Although born in Wales, Keith's a big fan of Fulham F.C.
In 1998 he joined forces with Blur's Alex James and artist Damien Hirst to form the group Fat Les, who released alternative World Cup anthem Vindaloo. He'd earlier written England's official 1990 World Cup song, World In Motion, with New Order, and appeared in the video.
Keith also featured in the video for Blur's* Country House, the song that in 1995 won the battle of Britpop against Oasis'* Roll With It.
He regular attends the Glastonbury festival.
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| Personal Details |
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Keith Howell Charles Allen was born on 2nd September 1953, in Swansea.
He lives with actress Tamzin Malleson* and in 2006, the pair had a baby called Teddie, Keith's eighth child. He was previously with film producer Alison Owen, mother of his daughter Lily. They split in 1989.
* The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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