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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Sam Elliott

Richard Blackwood thanks Keith Lemon for offering him first job after bankruptcy

Richard Blackwood thanked Keith Lemon for helping him when he was on the verge of financial ruin.

The star previously talked about his depression spiralling out of control left him suicidal in 2003 when work dried up and his overspending left him bankrupt.

Richard publicly commended Keith for getting him back on his feet as he offered him his first job following the bankruptcy.

The comic asked struggling pal Richard to appear on wacky Bo Selecta alongside his character, celebrity-obsessed stalker Avid Merrion.

He says the comic dragged him back up when he hit rock bottom (richardblackwood/Instagram)

Richard dropped the bombshell alongside a picture of the pair of them on Instagram following his appearance on Through The Keyhole.

He wrote: "A couple of things Ladies and Gentlemen! Firstly I want to give Love to my new Followers! I’ve just hit the 200,000 mark and I just want you to know how Truly humbled and Grateful I am. 

Richard's life has changed and now he is in demand again (Lime Pictures)

"Secondly a lot of you saw me on Through the Keyhole yesterday at my old place!

"But I want to give my boy @keithlemon a Real Shout out cause he’s a genuine friend and many moons ago when I was bankrupt and no one was giving me work Keith gave me my first job back on TV on Bo Selecta!

"This was a time when no one wanted me for anything and he got in touch and said come on my show to do a few sketches! He knows I’ve never forgotten that but I wanted you guys to know, he is Real people!

"God bless everyone and sorry for the long Sermon!"

Former EastEnders star Richard has spoken at length about his struggles in the past.

In 2018, the actor told  OK! magazine he had hit rock bottom before a comeback which helped get his career back on track.

"I had lost everything and I went bankrupt," he said.

The soap hunk was at his lowest ebb when his pal stepped in (itv)

"After that I got blacklisted by the industry – no work was coming. Everybody body turned against me

"I’m such a strong person and looking back it’s hard to believe I was in that place. But it showed me that things can really accumulate and break you down."

*Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at  jo@samaritans.org

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