A television producer whose career began as a hair stylist in the 1960s, McKeown later moved into production and his first big success was Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983-1986). He founded Witzend Productions in 1977, which went on to make Lovejoy (1986-1994) and Birds of a Feather (1989-1993), and also frequently collaborated with his wife, Tracey Ullman.