Latest news with #KeithLemon
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Holly Willoughby reunites with Leigh Francis after quitting his controversial panel show Celebrity Juice - following comedian admitting he hadn't seen her since major ITV drama
Holly Willoughby reunited with her former co-star Keith Lemon as she shared a heartwarming snap of the pair together. The presenter, 44, and the comedian, 52, worked alongside each other on controversial ITV2 comedy panel show Celebrity Juice from 2008 to 2020. The pair went through a period of not speaking for several months in 2023 as Holly dealt with the fallout from Phillip Schofield 's departure from This Morning. Keith has also had to contend with his bawdy brand of character comedy being criticised by more sensitive modern audiences, saying it is now 'going out of fashion'. Taking to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Holly shared a photo with Keith, whose real name is Leigh Francis, smiling together in a bar. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Alongside the post, she wrote: 'Caught up with this one today... love you @leighfrancis'. Celebrity Juice became a no-holds-barred playground for celebrity guests who were more than willing to leave their dignity at the door. The show debuted in 2008 and was cancelled in 2022, which Keith has partly attributed to changing attitudes around comedy. The comedian has had to face the reality that over the years, younger generations humour changes and it's become increasingly harder to win over younger viewers. Speaking to The Sun, the presenter confessed 'nothing is acceptable anymore' and just like fashion, comedy tastes change. He told the publication: 'Now, nothing is acceptable any more — we had 'the rules were the rules' in past times, and they're different now, so of course there are things back then that you wouldn't do any more. 'Now, nothing is acceptable any more — we had 'the rules were the rules' in past times, and they're different now, so of course there are things back then that you wouldn't do any more. 'You don't set out to offend anyone, you just set out to make people laugh, but for me, now when I come up with an idea, it has to be a straight one, with just a bit of silliness. 'Quite a lot of comedians are now presenting straight shows, entertainment programmes that are funny, just maybe not as funny as a sketch show.' He confessed that he thinks it is a 'shame' for viewers because some still want to watch that old-school silly comedy that was peak television in the noughties. Leigh admitted that comedy will 'always offend someone,' but he feels it is all 'being taken too seriously.' 'At the end of the day, you're always going to upset someone — but it's just comedy and, in these modern times, I feel that it's all being taken too seriously', he added. He then revealed that because he has dimmed down his dramatics in comedy he is frequently asked if he has 'gone woke?' to which he explained that he doesn't understand what that meant. While on the show together, Keith frequently referred to Holly by her old nickname Holly Willoughbooby. The former children's TV presenter got the moniker when she started to work on primetime shows in the Noughties, and the mother-of-three admitted she was 'proud' of the cheeky nickname. Holly credited Keith for coining the term, telling the Standard: 'In all seriousness, it's very nice and I'm proud that a mother who has breastfed children can have that accolade…if you can call it that.' However, she ultimately distanced herself from the show when she left in 2020 and was replaced by Emily Atack. Her and Keith remained friends however, with Holly attending his 50th birthday party in April 2023. They didn't see each other for several months after however as Holly became embroiled in the drama surrounding her This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield when he stepped down after admitting to an affair wiht a younger male colleague. That same year, she became the target of obsessed security guard Gavin Plumb who was convicted for plotting to kidnap and murder her. Speaking about a quieter period in their friendship, Keith told MailOnline in September 2023: 'The last time I saw Holly was on my birthday. I haven't seen her since all the telly drama. April was the last time I saw her in real life. 'I just text people and go, 'Are you ok?' I reached out to everyone.' For the iconic show, each week, two celebrity teams were led by regular captains Holly and Fearne. They then would go head-to-head, tackling ridiculous challenges that often left them covered in food, squirming in embarrassment, or laughing until they cried. From cringe-worthy confessions to unexpected antics, Celebrity Juice was the show where anything could happen and was seen as the perfect late-night fix. Keith Lemon, the outrageous alter ego of comedian Leigh, was born out of Francis' creative and absurd humor, blending influences from his personal life, pop culture, and his knack for embodying eccentric characters. Before Keith Lemon, Francis had already gained popularity with other characters, especially Avid Merrion, from his previous show Bo' Selecta. Leigh based parts of Keith's personality on people he knew in his hometown of Leeds, as well as his love for 1980s pop culture. The name 'Lemon' came from a friend Leigh had who was called Keith and shared some of the same cheeky, over-the-top personality traits. The character of Keith Lemon debuted in Keith Lemon's Very Brilliant World Tour in 2008, where he portrayed himself as a fictional version of a successful entrepreneur and ladies' man. It comes as the ITV Daytime schedule is undergoing a major shake-up. Lorraine and Loose Women have been axed for half the year and Lorraine's runtime has been slashed by 30 minutes, as ITV Daytime bosses announced huge cuts with job losses in excess of 220. Host Lorraine Kelly faced the brunt of the cuts with Good Morning Britain now taking her 9-10am slot for 22 weeks of the year. For the remaining 30 weeks of the year, Lorraine will present five days a week, meaning her Friday stand-in presenters Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard are no longer needed for the show. Lorraine's show has also been slashed in half, now running for just 30 minutes from 9:30am to 10am. ITV sources told MailOnline that they have decided to cut resources on their daytime schedule so that the network can invest in more drama programmes. One said: 'There is a need to cost save but also so that the right money can go to the right shows and with everything getting more expensive these things have to be looked at.' The source added: 'Christine and Ranvir remain part of the ITV daytime family.' This Morning, whose presenters include Alison Hammond, Ben Shepherd, and Cat Deeley, remains untouched. It was also announced today that ITV Studios will no longer make Good Morning Britain but instead it will be made by ITN - the organisation which makes ITV News. That means that there could be a merger between the staff working on GMB - which is hosted by Susanna Reid - and the channel's news bulletins. Meanwhile, ITV said that it is unlikely any on-screen talent will be axed. An ITV source insisted that the changes have not be influenced by any of the show's performances, saying: 'We recognise daytime is a very popular genre and these changes and efficiencies are about preserving the future of the genre, whilst also funding additional investment in dramas like Mr Bates vs The Post Office and in coverage of the biggest sporting events like next year's football World Cup as well as the UK's biggest reality and entertainment shows. 'This has nothing to do with under performance, the bosses are very pleased with all four shows. This Morning and GMB have escaped unscathed, their social media footprint is booming.' Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV's Media and Entertainment Division, explained the changes: 'Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres. 'These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.' Lygo added: 'I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams, and we will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition. 'Daytime has been a core element of ITV's schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award winning news, views and discussion as we enter our eighth decade.'
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Holly Willoughby reunites with ex ITV co-star amid daytime schedule shake-up
TV presenter Holly Willoughby has reunited with one of her former ITV co-stars for a cosy new snap. Holly was all smiles as she reunited with her old colleague Leigh Francis, more often known as his character alter ego, Keith Lemon. 4 Uploading a beaming selfie to Instagram, Holly looked radiant as she posed alongside her pal whom she worked alongside for 12 years on former ITV2 panel show, Celebrity Juice. Leigh could be seen wearing his trademark hat in the snap as the long-time pals enjoyed a catch-up. Holly shared her love and appreciation for the comedy star in the snap as she added the sweet caption: "Caught up with this one today... love you @leighfrancis." Holly and Leigh first began hosting alongside one another on Celebrity Juice in 2008. They were joined by fellow co-star Fearne Cotton before she left the programme in 2018. Holly remained for an extra two years before also quitting for good in 2020. Emily Atack and Laura Whitmore eventually took over but the show dwindled soon after and it was axed for good in 2022. Leigh retired the character of Keith shorty after. The pair's meeting comes as Holly's former show This Morning managed to come away unscathed as part of ITV daytime's shock shake-ups. This week, it was revealed that Lorraine and Loose Women had both been slashed to 30 weeks instead of all year-round as part of cost-saving measures. Watch Holly Wiloughby and Rylan get their revenge on Ant and Dec with cruel prank in final ever Saturday Night Takeaway Lorraine will also be reduced in length to 30 minutes with Good Morning Britain being extended. GMB will be produced in close connection with ITV News' output underneath ITN. 4 4
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Leigh Francis explains why you're meant to find Keith Lemon funny
Leigh Francis has revealed why audiences are meant to find his TV persona Keith Lemon funny. The comedian's controversial animal print-wearing character was born on Francis' Channel 4 series Bo' Selecta, which ran from 2002 to 2009. Singer Craig David previously accused the programme of 'normalising bullying' due to Lemon's impersonations of him. Lemon later appeared on the celebrity panel show Celebrity Juice alongside Ferne Cotton and Holly Willoughby, where he routinely made comments about both women's appearances. When the programme was cancelled after 26 seasons in 2022, the character once again resurfaced in the mockumentary The Holden Girls: Mandy and Myrtle co-starring Amanda Holden as herself. Speaking to Richard and Izzy Hammond on their Who We are Now podcast, Francis revealed he 'doesn't' regret anything' despite the controversies his characters have caused. The comedian claimed his Keith Lemon character was intended to be provocative and explained the crude personality was meant to be 'laughed at and not laughed with'. He explained: 'Even with people that might have been offended by Keith Lemon, saying he's misogynistic or something. No, you supposed to be. 'You're not laughing with him; you're laughing at him. He's a fool!' he continued. 'He would say things that there's no way on Earth I would say. 'But I know people who say such things, and I laugh at them for saying it… You can laugh at people that say horrendous things, I think.' Despite claiming Lemon is intended to be a controversial character, Francis admitted the criticism he has faced throughout his career has been difficult to stomach. 'It hurts, doesn't it? I think anyone saying, 'Oh, you're a bad man' or whatever, you just go, 'I'm not,' because I'm too daft,' he said. 'I don't want to p*** people off, you want to make them laugh. And I think everyone, most comedians, just want to make people laugh.' Elsewhere in the interview, the TV personality claimed that the 'rules' of comedy have changed, and he now has to be more mindful when writing material that 'some people might be upset by things'. Leigh claimed he has never intended to upset anybody who was the focus of his material, adding: 'I don't apologise for Bo' Selecta, but I apologise for upsetting people that were offended by it.' The comedian reminded listeners: 'I'm a court jester, which is the lowest of the low. 'Sing and dance, make me laugh.' 'You shouldn't take what I'm saying seriously,' he added. 'Because first of all, my name is not Keith Lemon. I'm acting!' Speaking about how Francis' impersonation of him on Bo Selecta! changed his life in 2022, Craig David said: 'It felt like a vendetta and when it got a following, it became something that affected me. 'People would shout at me on the street and I felt the same feeling I had when I was bullied at school,' added. 'Leigh Francis had normalised bullying by making it comedy.'
