Ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has hit back at various claims about the breakdown of his first marriage after tying the knot for the second time this past weekend.
The 66-year-old star unleashed an online tirade after reports surfaced that he had exchanged vows with Lucie Rose, 35, whom he reportedly met in 2016 while still married to his then-wife of 36 years, Julia Keys.
The ceremony, which was held at Kingswear near Brixham, Devon, was apparently not attended by his children Joshua and Jemma.
Sources close to ex-wife Julia also told the Daily Mail yesterday that she had “no idea” about the wedding and that she had only found out when Richard texted her two hours beforehand.
According to previous reports, Richard left Julia for Lucie Rose several years ago in an affair that left her “devastated” while she was still recovering from thyroid cancer.
However, on his online blog the sports pundit has now lashed out at a number of claims, writing: “When my first marriage collapsed my wife was not suffering with cancer. She’d been in remission after a dreadful scare – one she managed with dignity and bravery.
“And I was with her every step of the way. She is still very much alive and well, although it is true that cancer sufferers always need to be careful about their health.”
Richard went on to insist he was “not sacked in disgrace” from Sky, claiming: “I resigned of my own volition after Sky sacked Andy.
“As he himself has said ‘they were after me. Keysie was collateral damage’. He’s my mate. I will always stand by him – just as he has me.”
He then claimed: “Lucie was never my daughters’ friend – let alone her best friend. They met twice. The circumstances don’t matter – at this stage. That’s something else I’ll address going forward.”
He also said of his alleged affair with Lucie Rose: “The break-up of my first marriage did not ‘wreck’ my children’s lives. One was 28 – the other 32.”
Despite all of this, it seems Richard’s ex-wife Julia disagrees, with a source close to her telling the Daily Mail: “She has moved on with her life and put her marriage to Richard behind her but she’s adamant the children were affected by the affair – despite what he says and them being grown up as he implies makes no difference. It hit them both hard.
“The problem with Richard is that the truth hurts and sadly he doesn’t know what the truth is.”
Express.co.uk has previously approached Richard for comment.
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