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Keith Jayne | |
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| Born | 10 December 1960 |
| Spouse | Samantha Leach |
Keith Jayne (born 10 December 1960) is a British actor, known for playing the title role in the 1981 television adaptation Stig of the Dump .
A slow growth rate, due to a pituitary gland problem, made Keith a target of bullies at grammar school, To escape them, he enrolled with the Barbara Speake Stage School.
Early roles were in Rumpole of the Bailey , Angels and a variety of Children's Film Foundation productions, including Robin Hood Junior (1975), The Glitterball (1977) and Sammy's Super T-Shirt (1978). In 1974, Keith appeared as Wilfred Schoenfeld in an episode of Upstairs, Downstairs , entitled "The Beastly Hun". In 1975, he played Mick in Survivors .
However, his big break happened in 1979 when he was cast as Tom Arnold, a cabin boy, in The Onedin Line . This was followed by the lead role in Thames Television’s, BAFTA award nominated, adaptation of Stig of the Dump - which 'is probably the part I am most remembered for'. [1]
Keith went on to play 'Boxer Reed' in all 54 episodes of Central TV's kid's drama, Murphy's Mob . His appearance as Will Chandler - 'one of the most convincing and memorable companions The Doctor never had' [2] – in Doctor Who serial The Awakening , led producer John Nathan-Turner to briefly consider making Keith a series regular.[ citation needed ]
Typecasting (often as a yokel) persuaded Keith to study for a certificate in Finance and Investment. This coincided with a dark period his life, when his earlier health problems came back to haunt him. 'As a result of the growth hormone treatment I received as a child, I received a letter from the NHS saying I may have contracted CJD.' [1]
Keith's high-profile saw him interviewed on ITN, a broadcast that curtailed his acting career. 'The fact that it was reported that I was dying did not help me get any further work as no casting director is going to employ you if there is a chance you will keel over before episode two.' [1]
Beginning in the late 1980s, he ran a financial services business.
In 2009 he appeared as a guest in the 'Blast From The Past' section of The Justin Lee Collins Show .
