Keith became a fan favourite for his silent and grumpy demeanour (Image: ITV)
Kiosk Keith, the deadpan character from , became a fan favourite for his silent and grumpy demeanour during the Dingo Dollar Challenges.
But in 2018, the man behind the role, Raymond Grant, was sacked from the show, leaving fans curious about the story behind his firing and his surprising rise to fame.
Raymond Grant, a 52-year-old Aussie labourer, worked on the show’s production team before unexpectedly becoming Kiosk Keith.
His ex-wife Donna revealed how his journey started, saying: “Raymond was employed in the art department—he was just a labourer. When they brought Kiosk Keith in as a character, they offered him the part. So he just doesn’t do Kiosk Keith; he still works as a labourer out there too.”
She explained further: “They will radio him and say, ‘Look, we’re doing the shack now, come up.’ And he goes up and does Kiosk Keith. And then he goes back to work.”
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Keith was accused of inappropriate behaviour and sacked (Image: ITV)
Despite being a fan favourite, Grant’s role didn’t come with a lucrative paycheck. Donna revealed: “He’s not getting paid the kind of money he should be getting paid for Kiosk Keith—Kiosk Keith’s huge.”
She added: “He has to stay back sometimes to do some of the games for Kiosk Keith—that’s time when he should be at home.” Grant reportedly earned just AUS$25,000 (£14,000) per year for his work on both the UK and German versions of the show.
According to Donna, Raymond didn’t take the fame too seriously, saying: “He just thinks it’s funny. It’s just a joke. As far as he’s concerned, he’s an average father who goes to work, does Kiosk Keith and goes home.”
Raymond’s time on the show ended in January 2018 when he was accused of inappropriate behaviour. According to The Sun Online, Raymond allegedly arrived at work drunk and slapped a young female colleague on the bottom while on the crew bus.
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The current season is in full swing (Image: ITV)
A source revealed: “It wasn’t unusual for Keith to turn up to work drunk as he’s done it before, but this incident has shocked everyone.”
confirmed his dismissal, stating, “Ray is no longer under contract on the show. There are no plans for him to return this year.”
Donna defended her ex-husband, describing him as foolish but not predatory. “A young girl walked past, and he slapped her on the arse. Everyone laughed. She went to the bosses and said it was sexual harassment. I’m not condoning it… but he’s being made out to be this horrible man when he really isn’t.”
Since Keith’s departure, the Outback Shack has been replaced with jungle ATMs to deliver camp rewards, but many fans feel lacks the charm of Keith’s grumpy yet lovable persona.