Christine Ford's high school friend, Leland Keyser, was 'completely blindsided' and left 'reeling' when the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempted rape named her as a corroborating witness.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV a family member close to Keyser, 52, said: 'Christine didn't give her so much as a heads up - as far as I know they haven't really spoken for several years and they're certainly not close anymore.

'Leland was completely blindsided by her name being thrown into it all. The first thing she knew about it was when she woke up on Thursday morning and her name was just everywhere. It was crazy.'

Pictured here for the first time since the news Ford had named her as a witness, Keyser showed the strain of being catapulted into this political maelstrom.

A strained Leland Keyser was seen for the first time since Christine Ford named her as a corroborating witness to claims Brett Kavanaugh attempted to rape her in high school

Keyser, 52, whom Ford described as her 'best friend' at Holton-Arms preparatory school in Bethesda, Maryland, was her final hope for corroboration. Pictured: Keyser (left) and Ford (right) in their 7th grade photo at Holton-Arms School in 1979

Pictured here for the first time since news Ford had named her as a witness, Keyser showed the strain of being catapulted into this political maelstrom

The family member added: 'It really felt a lot like Christine was the one called to the principal's office to give an account of something and just threw her under the bus. You know, just reached for a name'. Pictured: Keyser in 2012

The family member who asked not to be named explained: 'She's just trying to get through it and hoping for it all to die down.

'It really felt a lot like Christine was the one called to the principal's office to give an account of something and just threw her under the bus. You know, just reached for a name.'

Keyser's attorney, Howard J Walsh III, last night confirmed that his client has spoken with the FBI and that when she did so she could not corroborate Ford's account.

Instead she doubled down on the statements she has already given to the Senate Committee in which she has denied all knowledge of the supposed party, the alleged assault or of Kavanaugh, 53.

Ford, 51, accused the Supreme Court nominee of attempting to rape her in a drunken attack in 1982 at a home in Montgomery County near Columbia Country Club.

According to Ford, Kavanaugh held her down and put his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming while he groped at her and pulled at her clothes.

She said that she was afraid that he might 'accidentally kill her.'

Ford claims that Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge was in the room at the time.

Both Kavanaugh and Judge - who has also been interviewed by the FBI - vehemently deny these charges.

Ford, 51, accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her in a drunken attack in 1982 at a home in Montgomery County near Columbia Country Club. Pictured: Ford and Kavanaugh in their respective high school yearbooks

Keyser's relative, who asked not to be named, explained: 'She's just trying to get through it and hoping for it all to die down.' Pictured: A young Keyser in her senior year photo in 1984

Keyser's attorney, Howard J Walsh III, last night confirmed that his client has spoken with the FBI and that when she did so she could not corroborate Ford's account. Pictured: Ford giving testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27

Patrick Smyth, another man named by Ford as a party-goer, and who attended Georgetown Preparatory School with Kavanaugh and Judge, has also denied being there.

Keyser - whom Ford described as her 'best friend' at Holton-Arms preparatory school - was her final hope for corroboration.

But Keyser's relative revealed the mother-of-two's shock at being named as a witness by a woman to whom she has barely spoken in recent years.

And they expressed anger at Ford's suggestion that Keyser could not recall the party because of the 'significant health challenges' she has faced in recent years.

Ford attempted to brush aside Keyser's statement telling members of the Senate Committee: 'Leland has significant health challenges, and I'm happy that she's focusing on herself and getting the health treatment that she needs, and she let me know that she needed her lawyer to take care of this for her, and she texted me right afterward with an apology and good wishes, and et cetera.

'So I'm glad that she's taking care of herself. I don't expect that P.J. and Leland would remember this evening.

'It was a very unremarkable party. It was not one of their more notorious parties, because nothing remarkable happened to them that evening. They were downstairs.'

Keyser - whom Ford described as her 'best friend' at Holton-Arms preparatory school - was her final hope for corroboration

Keyser (pictured playing field hockey in 1984) was very athletic in her high school years and is a former professional golfer

Keyser's (pictured center in checkered dress) relative revealed the mother-of-two's shock at being named as a witness by a woman to whom she has barely spoken in recent years

Speaking in her defense Keyser's loved one noted: 'I think it's quite convenient that she named the person who is frankly probably the least physically capable of all of them to stand up and be subjected to questioning or give her account.'

The family member went on to explain that the 'health challenges' faced by Keyser have not impaired her memory.

But they admitted that being caught up in the Kavanaugh scandal has proved physically trying at a time when Keyser is not in good health.

The relative said: 'Leland is not a well woman. She has had years of injuries that have seen her have 14 operations on her neck and back. She just wants to get better.'

She is also under enormous emotional stress.

An open letter to Keyser published on Tuesday in The Daily Caller dragged up a tragedy from her past in a bizarre attempt to cast doubt on Keyser's insistence that she remembers nothing and push her to confront past memories, however painful.

But Keyser's relative revealed the mother-of-two's shock at being named as a witness by a woman to whom she has barely spoken in recent years

The family member expressed anger at Ford's suggestion that Keyser could not recall the party because of the 'significant health challenges' she has faced in recent years

The letter, written by Sara Corcoran, publisher of National Courts Monitor who knew Keyser in her youth, recalled the day in July 1988 when Keyser's boyfriend dived into the shallow end of the swimming pool at Columbia Country Club. He broke his neck and died.

Corcoran wrote: 'I remember how you suffered…. sometimes it seems like it is easier to remain silent, but I also feel you know where the house was and who was there.'

She stated: 'There was nothing you could have done to save Bill from the fate that awaited him, but you can save Christine.'

Keyser's talent saw her become a professional golfer and she met her first husband, Fox News' Bob Beckel, at that same country club. They were married for ten years and had two children - son Alex and daughter Mackenzie - before divorcing in 2002.

Keyser went onto remarry leadership coach John Keyser but they too have since split.

Injury forced her to step down from her role as a golf coach at Georgetown University and have, her family member said, plagued her for years.

An open letter to Keyser dragged up a tragedy from her past in a bizarre attempt to cast doubt on Keyser's insistence that she remembers nothing and push her to confront past memories, however painful. The author wrote: 'There was nothing you could have done to save Bill from the fate that awaited him, but you can save Christine'

Keyser was married to Fox News's Bob Beckel for ten years. The couple had two children - son Alex and daughter Mackenzie before splitting in 2002

Keyser has been consistent in statements give to the Senate Committee by her attorney ahead of the FBI's interview on Saturday in which she reiterated what she had told the committee.

According to Walsh: 'Simply put, Ms Keyser does not know Mr Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party of gathering where he was present with, or without, Dr Ford.'

After Trump called for an FBI investigation Walsh submitted a second statement on his client's behalf in which he said, 'Ms Keyser has asked that I communicate to the Committee her willingness to cooperate fully with the FBI's supplemental investigation of Dr Christine Ford's allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh .'

He went onto reiterate: 'However, as my client has already made clear, she does not know Judge Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without Dr Ford.'

Trump has given the FBI until Friday to wrap up their investigation.