Richard Keys defends leaving wife of 34 years for daughter’s friend

Richard Keys insists he did not leave his ex-wife while she had cancer and ‘never expected’ his 34-year marriage to end until he was ‘bowled over’ by his current partner.

Former Sky Sports presenter Keys separated from Julia in 2016 and began a relationship with Lucie Rose, who is 31 years younger than him.

It was suggested, mainly on social media, that Julia had cancer at the time of the divorce but Keys insists this was not the case.

Keys, 68, also dismissed claims his current partner Lucie, who was friends with his daughter Jemma, was coerced into the relationship.

‘I’ve never sat with anybody and talked about this, but I didn’t leave Julia dying of cancer, or suffering with cancer,’ Keys told The Telegraph.

‘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.

‘I remember working at Arsenal on the day of the operation.

It wasn’t that I was uninterested, I just didn’t want people to know she was unwell or to bring in the intrusion that would naturally follow.’

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Discussing his relationship with Lucie, who he married in 2023, Keys added: ‘I never expected my marriage would end after 34 years, but Lucie bowled into my life and, wow, what a force of nature.

And the rest is history.

‘I knew I wanted to be with Lucie, but I couldn’t emotionally get there.

It took me forever to change course.

It was only the result of Lucie’s patience, and my sister Susan’s belief that she has always known what’s right for me.

‘So, it wasn’t an overnight thing at all.

The hurt is something you don’t want to inflate.

‘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.’

Why did Sky Sports sack Richard Keys?

During a Premier League game between Liverpool and Wolves in 2011, Richard Keys and Andy Gray made sexist comments about female assistant referee Sian Massey.

Believing their microphones had been switched off, Keys said: ‘Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.

Gray responded: ‘Yeah, I know.

Can you believe that?

Female linesman.

Forget what I said – they probably don’t know the offside rule.’
‘Course they don’t,’ said Keys.

Gray replied: ‘Why is there a female linesman?

Somebody’s f*cked up big.’
In another leaked clip, Keys was seen asking ex-England midfielder Jamie Redknapp whether he ‘smashed’ a female colleague.

‘Mind you, that’s a stupid question.

If you were anywhere near it, you definitely smashed it,’ he added.

Keys married his first wife Julia in 1982 and had the pair had two children together, Jemma and Josh.

Following their divorce in 2016, Julia wrote an infidelity survival guide and claimed her ex’s behaviour ‘didn’t just devastate my world, but the world of our children, too.’
Keys has faced criticism over the 32-year age difference between him and his second wife but Lucie says she is has never understood the backlash.

‘It baffles people, but I don’t feel it.

I never have,’ said Lucie, who is a partner in private funds at Proskauer Rose, one of the largest New York law firms.

The pair lived apart for a decade as Keys worked in Qatar for sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS but are now living together in London after he left the company.

Even as he approached 70, Keys wants to have another child, insisting he would be a ‘very, very happy man’ if ‘something of that nature happened’.

‘I’ve looked around at men my age who have entered the fatherhood phase for a second time, and they all seem to be a lot more relaxed,’ he added.

‘They’re more understanding of the role they have.’
Keys fronted Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage for almost two decades before leaving the company in 2011 after making derogatory comments about female assistant referee Sian Massey.

His long-term co-presenter Andy Gray also left Sky Sports after more clips were leaked showing both behave in a sexist manner.

‘Prehistoric banter isn’t acceptable in the modern world.

I accept that,’ Keys said at the time.

‘We failed to change when the world has changed.’
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