Ricky Gervais Leads Tributes For The Office Actor Ewen MacIntosh, Dead At 50

Ewen MacIntosh attending Gold’s 25th birthday party and the launch of UKTV Original Murder on the Blackpool Express at 100 Wardour St, London. Picture date: Wednesday October 11, 2017. Ian West/PA Wire. (Press Association via AP Images)

Comedian Rickey Gervais led tributes to actor Ewen MacIntosh, who was best known for his iconic role as Keith Bishop in The Office.

MacIntosh’s death was announced in a statement issued by his management company JustRight Management and expressed the family’s gratitude towards those who supported him, especially mentioning Willow Green Care Home where he passed away. A private cremation for family and close friends is planned, with a celebratory memorial to follow later in the year.

Gervais, the co-creator of The Office, paid a touching tribute to MacIntosh, describing him as “an absolute original.”

Despite his fame, MacIntosh faced challenges in securing roles similar to Keith, revealing in the Almost Famous podcast how he was once overlooked for a part that sought a “Keith from The Office character.”

After his role on The Office, he appeared in various TV shows including soap Eastenders and Yorgos Lanthimos’ film The Lobster but was declared bankrupt in 2016. and found a new source of income during lockdown through celebrity cameo video messaging services.