Sunday, November 17, 2013

Keith Duffy of Boyzone


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Keith Peter Thomas Francis John Duffy (born 1 October 1974) is an Irish singer-songwriter, actor, radio and television presenter and drummer. He began his professional music career as part of Irish boy band Boyzone alongside Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately in 1993. The band decided to focus on solo projects in 2000 since which Duffy has achieved critical acclaim for his acting roles, particularly in soap operas such as Coronation Street and Fair City. He has also presented The Box and You're a Star.
Duffy has been an autism "awareness" campaigner since his daughter was diagnosed with the condition at age 18 months, and acts as the patron for Irish Autism Action holding regular fundraising events and informational talks.
Duffy was the winner on the British reality TV series The Door.
Duffy was born on 1 October 1974 in Donaghmede, Dublin to parents Sean and Pat. He is the second oldest of three children, with an older brother Derek and younger brother John. He was raised Roman Catholic. As a young child he contracted pneumonia. Between the ages of 7 and 18 he played hurling and Gaelic football, representing the Dublin under 16 hurling team for three years. At the age of 16 he bought a drum kit and played in bands called Toledo Moon and This Burning Effigy. Duffy studied architecture for a year at college, before dropping out.
Duffy became presenter of The Box on Irish television channel TV3, as well as featuring in Irish comedy Mrs Brown. He later served as a judge on the RTÉ talent contest You're a Star, later presenting the fifth series of the show.
Landing his first major feature-film role in 2010, Duffy was cast in Irish horror film Loftus Hall. He reportedly had to bow out of the production due a prior contract stipulation committing him to a 2010 Coronation Street return, which would have interfered with the film's schedule.[8][9] Subsequently, he returned to the soap in February 2010, reprising his role as lovable Irish rogue Ciaran McCarthy.
On 2 and 3 April 2010, Duffy appeared in ITV's one off game show The Door. He won the show and his prize was £25,000 for a charity of his choice – Ambitious about Autism (a UK-based charity for autism education, then known as TreeHouse). In June 2010, he continued his work with Autism, launching a mobile phone recycling campaign in Ireland. He also appeared on All Star Family Fortunes on 11 September 2010 again raising money for Ambitious about Autism.
After leaving Coronation Street in January 2011, Duffy returned to Boyzone who reunited and toured the UK and Ireland during February and March 2011, with a 21-date tour of the Ireland and UK with their arena-based "Brother" Tour and four outdoor shows around the UK during August. Following the end of the "Brother" Tour, Duffy completed a half Ironman Triathalon raising money for Irish Autism Action. He returned to Coronation Street in September 2011 for a short stint. His last appearance as Ciaran was on 25 November 2011.
From November 2011 to February 2012, Duffy played character Teddy Heelin in John B. Keane's play Big Maggie which visited many theatres in Ireland. Fellow Boyzone member Shane Lynch said in an interview on ITV1 show Loose Women that Boyzone would be releasing a new album and would be touring in 2013, the 20th anniversary of their formation.
In November 2013, he appeared as a drug dealing fitness instructor in two episodes of Irish crime drama Love/Hate.
Duffy married Lisa Smith on 24 June 1998 in Las Vegas, only proposing two days before. Ronan Keating acted as his best man. Together, Keith and Lisa have two children, Jordan Stephen Scott Duffy (born 22 April 1996) and Mia Duffy (born 11 March 2000). After Mia was diagnosed with moderate autism, Duffy has become active in "raising awareness" of the condition. On 2 May 2009, Duffy and his wife won the game show All Star Mr & Mrs. The £10,000 prize money went to an autism charity. Duffy was also present in Kilcloon, Meath on 2 March 2012 for the official opening of 'Stepping Stones', a specialised school for children with Autism stating "All we want to do is give our kids a chance in life"

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