With a career in acting, presenting and reality TV spanning five decades, Keith Chegwin was one of the nation’s most recognised entertainers.
So after news of his death was announced on Monday (11 December), tributes began pouring in, as his former colleagues and celebrity friends rushed to honour him.
Fans also began sharing their memories of Cheggers on social media, recalling his most famous (and in some cases infamous) moments.
Here’s just a few of our favourites...
‘Extras’
Proving that he was the very definition of a good sport, Keith sent himself up in a 2006 episode of ‘Extras’.
His hilarious appearance was one of the most memorable of all the cameos in Ricky Gervais’s sitcom and later called the experience “one of the most enjoyable two days of my life”.
Speaking about Ricky, he said: He’s just such a generous performer. I worked with a lot of people as a child actor - on ‘Black Beauty’, ‘Z Cars’, ‘Open All Hours’, lots of things - and most of the actors I worked with were always trying to top your line. Ricky Gervais doesn’t do that - he wants to let you shine.”
‘Dancing On Ice’
It’s fair to say Keith wasn’t exactly a natural when he got his skates on to take part in ‘Dancing On Ice’ in 2013.
The good thing was, neither was his pal and fellow contestant Joe Pasquale, and the pair teamed up to perform this comical routine.
‘Celebrity Big Brother’
Having become somewhat of a reality TV regular in later years, Keith had a stay in the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house in 2014.
Having been locked up with the likes of Katie Hopkins, Perez Hilton and Katie Price, Keith was one of the more likeable characters of the series, reaching the final, where he finished in fourth place.
But his greatest moment in the house came when he stood up to Katie Hopkins, and told her exactly what he thought of her.
‘Naked Jungle’
Those of a certain age will probably best remember Keith for his ill-advised role as the host of Channel 5 game show ‘Naked Jungle’ in 2000.
There was no denying Cheggers fully threw himself into it (hence why *ahem* parts of the video above are blurred out), but the show proved hugely controversial and even sparked conversation in the House of Commons.
Keith later admitted it was the “worst career move I made in my entire life”, saying in 2007: “If I could turn the clock back, I would.
“When they phoned up and said they were doing this programme to celebrate naturism - everyone’s forgotten that bit - I thought it would be a laugh. They said it was going to go out at 11pm on a Tuesday night, and I seriously thought that nobody would watch it.
“Oh my God was I wrong!”
Pepsi commercials
As well as presenting and acting in many shows, Keith also appeared in the bits in between them too, starring in many adverts.
The one above shows his starring role in a 70s Pepsi commercial, but he also featured in ads for barley water, Tizer and Cadbury Creme Eggs, and even modelled pants in the ‘Freemans’ catalogue.
‘Swap Shop’ and ‘Cheggers Plays Pop’
Kids of the 70s and 80s will remember Cheggers as one of the hosts of classic Saturday morning show ‘Swap Shop’.
He then went on to become the host of his own Children’s BBC musical game show, ‘Cheggers Plays Pop’, where he presided over a series of challenges undertaken by two teams of children representing their schools, along with music performances from the likes of Bucks Fizz and Tight Fit.
Music career
After having a number 15 single, ‘I Wanna Be A Winner’, with ‘Swap Shop’ co-stars Noel Edmonds and Maggie Philbin in 1982, Cheggers went on to record a solo single called ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again’, but it sadly never charted.
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