“The Office” actor Ewen MacIntosh dies at 50

Ewen MacIntosh, remembered for his role as Keith Bishop in the British version of “The Office”, died at the age of 50 (Credits: HBO Max)

Ewen MacIntosh, actor and comedian widely recognized for his portrayal of “Big Keith” in the British version of “The Office,” has died. MacIntosh, who was 50, played Keith Bishop, an accountant with a penchant for quail eggs who secretly wanted to be a DJ, on the show, leaving an indelible mark on British comedy.

Ewen MacIntosh was present in both seasons of “The Office,” which began airing in 2001. Ricky Gervais, creator of the show, was one of the first to pay tribute to MacIntosh through social networks, calling him “an original absolute”.

“Very sad news. The very funny and charming Ewen Macintosh, known to many as “Big Keith” from The Office, has died. An absolute original. May he rest in peace,” Gervais wrote on his social media pages.

Ricky Gervais, creator and star of the British version of “The Office”, shared a message on his social networks regarding the death of Ewen MacIntosh (Credits: X/Ricky Gervais)

Stephen Merchant, co-writer and co-director of the series, also expressed his regret, describing MacIntosh as “a charming and uniquely funny man” on Instagram. Merchant shared how MacIntosh went from a small character to a leading man on The Office thanks to his wit and humor.

“I fondly remember asking him to improvise a message outside the office, and it was so funny that we started writing more and more dialogue for him. He soon stole every scene in which he appeared. An out of series. “A tragic loss.”

Stephen Merchant, co-creator of “The Office”, recalled how Ewen MacIntosh became a main character in the series thanks to his wit (Credit: Instagram/Stephen Merchant)

In addition to his participation in “The Office,” MacIntosh had roles in other UK comedies, including “Miranda” and “Little Britain.” He is also remembered for his work in renowned director Yorgos Lanthimos’ film “The Lobster,” where he played a trained waiter inside a disturbing camp. His last project in front of cameras was in the 2017 romantic comedy “Finding Fatimah.”

It was his management company, Just Right Management, that was responsible for breaking the news of MacIntosh’s death. Although the causes of the actor’s death were not revealed, it is known that he was admitted to Willow Green Care Home, a home for the elderly that would give an idea of ​​Ewen’s delicate state of health and the inability to take care of himself.

Just Right Management also shared that a cremation would take place in a few days and will be attended by his family and closest friends.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved comedy genius Ewen MacIntosh. His family thanks everyone who supported him, especially Willow Green Care Home. “There will soon be a private cremation for family and close friends and a celebratory memorial later this year,” reads the statement announcing the death of the British performer.

It was Ewen MacIntosh’s management company that was responsible for sharing the news of his death. Although the causes were not revealed, it was revealed that the actor had been fighting his health problems for two years (Credits: X / @ JustRightMgt)

Chelle Just, a company worker, also pointed out that the actor had had health problems for two years. In early February 2022, Ewen uploaded a photo to X’s official account of him in a hospital bed with various devices connected. “I’m afraid these are bad times for me, friends,” MacIntosh wrote on his social media account.

Ewen MacIntosh shared on his social networks that he was going through difficult times in early 2022 (Credits: X/Ewen MacIntosh)

The truth is that following his time on The Office, MacIntosh had a very discreet career in film and television. In an interview with Vice, the actor revealed that this was due to his focus on writing, which didn’t go very well. Ewen assured that, if he had not dedicated so much time to writing, he would have achieved better roles in front of cameras.

“At that time, me and the guys I wrote with had a lot of irons in the fire. It didn’t go the way we wanted and I got a little tired of that part of the industry. “If I had focused more on my acting career, I would have gotten better roles.”