Keith Allen

Here’s a detailed profile of Keith Allen (Welsh actor, comedian, and more):

Biography & Early Life

Full name: Keith Howell Charles Allen
Born 2 September 1953 in Gorseinon, West Glamorgan, Wales (some sources also say Llanelli, Carmarthenshire)
He is Welsh by identity, though he spent parts of his youth in England and elsewhere.
His father, Edward Charles Owen, was a Royal Navy submariner; his mother worked as a waitress.
Keith has a younger brother, Kevin Allen, who is an actor/director.

As a boy, his father’s naval postings meant the family moved around; he lived in Swansea, Malta, and Gosport (England) during childhood.
At age 11, when his father was assigned to Singapore, Keith was sent to a boarding school in Essex (Sir Anthony Brown’s in Brentwood).
He was expelled at age 13 for meddling with organ pipes during a chapel service.
He then experienced a turbulent few years: detention, a borstal, and later attendance at Brune Park Community School in Gosport.
He earned six O-levels, which allowed him entry into the Welsh College of Music and Drama. However, he was later expelled after a dispute over parking in the principal’s carpark.

Keith Allen is a polymath in entertainment: actor, comedian, musician, author, broadcaster, and more.

In the 1970s, Allen worked various jobs (e.g. stagehand). He was reportedly dismissed from one such job when he joined a Max Bygraves chorus line performance naked.
He transitioned to stand-up comedy, opening for punk bands including The Clash.
In 1979 he performed at The Comedy Store (London), which helped to raise his public profile.

In the 1980s, Allen was part of The Comic Strip Presents… (Channel 4 sketch & comedy show). He acted and sometimes co-wrote episodes (e.g. The Bullshitters, The Yob)
He starred in his own show I Love Keith Allen on BSB in 1990, combining stand-up and sketch.
In film, some notable appearances include:
- Shallow Grave (1994) — he had a cameo.
- Trainspotting (1996) — played a drug dealer.
- The Others (2001)
- Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
- Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)
- A Film with Me in It (2008)
On television, he has had many roles:
- In Jack of Hearts (1999), he starred as Jack Denby, a probation officer in a crime drama.
- Between 2006 and 2009 he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in the BBC Robin Hood series.
- He also appeared in Bodies (2004–06) as the obstetrician Dr. Tony Whitman.
- In 2021 he portrayed serial killer John Cooper in The Pembrokeshire Murders.
- In 2023, he played Dai Williams in Steeltown Murders.

Allen was part of Fat Les, a band that included artist Damien Hirst and Blur’s bassist Alex James.
He co-wrote the song “World in Motion” (England football anthem) with New Order and appeared in performances.
He directed the music video for New Order’s “Ruined in a Day,” which featured him and the band in a weird charades game with Buddhist monks.
He also has been associated with various football-related musical projects (e.g. “Vindaloo” by Fat Les)

Keith Allen has fronted or presented television documentaries, such as:
- Tourette De France (2007) — followed people with Tourette’s syndrome on a bus trip from London to Paris.
- Keith Allen Will Burn in Hell (2007) — he profiled the controversial Westboro Baptist Church.
- Keith Meets Keith (2009) — in it, he interviewed chef Keith Floyd in what turned out to be Floyd’s last TV appearance.
- His documentary Unlawful Killing (2011) about the death of Princess Diana remains controversial and unreleased in the UK and US, as he declined to make cuts demanded by lawyers.

Keith Allen has six children by four women.
Among his children are:
- Lily Allen (singer) — with first wife, producer Alison Owen (married 1982–1989)
- Alfie Allen (actor) — also with Alison Owen
- Teddie Allen — born in 2006, child with Tamzin Malleson (actress/partner)
After Alison Owen, he married Nira Park (a film/TV producer), but they later divorced.
His long-term partner more recently has been Tamzin Malleson, with whom he shares Teddie.
Keith served 21 days in Pentonville prison in the mid-1980s for criminal damage (at the Zanzibar club in Covent Garden)
He is a Fulham FC supporter.

Allen is known for his rebellious streak, irreverence, and willingness to cross boundaries—not least in his early years being expelled from schools and getting into trouble.
His political leanings lean socialist; he has spoken about distrust of establishment institutions.
He has a tattoo of “Rinka” the dog (connected with the Jeremy Thorpe scandal) on his shoulder, which he says is a reminder of suspicion toward powerful institutions.
Allen is sometimes controversial, particularly for Unlawful Killing, his critical claims about the Diana investigation and accusations involving the royal family.
In interviews, he is candid, abrasive, provocative, and often uses humor and shock to convey deeper convictions.

Keith Allen has enjoyed a multi-decade career, managing to remain relevant across changing cultural landscapes—stage, television, film, music, and documentary.
He bridges different spheres: comedy, drama, music, activism. His ability to shift roles (from comedian to serious actor to documentary maker) adds to his versatility.
As father to Lily Allen and Alfie Allen, his personal legacy also resonates in pop culture and entertainment’s next generation.
His documentary work, especially Unlawful Killing, although controversial, demonstrates his willingness to engage in political critique and conspiracy culture.

Articles by the author

Keith Allen

Keith Allen

Keith Allen