Celebrity Juice was the outrageous and hilarious talk show that made chaos a weekly tradition on British television.
Hosted by the hilariously unpredictable Keith Lemon, played by comedian Leigh Francis, the show became a no-holds-barred playground for celebrity guests who were more than willing to leave their dignity at the door.
But creator Leigh, 51, has had to face the reality that as the years go by, the humour of younger generations changes and it is becoming increasingly difficult to win over younger viewers.
Talking with The sunThe blonde presenter has confessed that ‘nothing is acceptable anymore’ and just like fashion, tastes in comedy change.
She told the publication: ‘Now, nothing is acceptable anymore. Back in the day, we had ‘the rules were the rules’ and now they’re different, so of course there were things you wouldn’t do back then anymore.
Celebrity Juice was the outrageous and hilarious talk show that turned chaos into a weekly tradition on British television (pictured, 2016)
Hosted by the hilariously unpredictable Keith Lemon, played by comedian Leigh Francis, the show became a no-holds-barred playground for celebrity guests (pictured in 2016).
‘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 direct, with a bit of silliness.
‘Nowadays, many comedians present serious shows, entertainment programs that are funny, although perhaps not as funny as a sketch show.’
He admitted that he thinks it’s a “shame” for viewers because some still want to watch the silly old-school comedy that was the heyday of television in the 2000s.
Leigh admitted that comedy “always offends someone” but feels that everything is “taking itself too seriously.”
“At the end of the day, you’re always going to piss someone off, but it’s just comedy and in these modern times, I feel like everything is taken way too seriously,” she added.
He then revealed that because he has toned down his dramatics on the sitcom, he is often asked if he has “woke up,” to which he explained that he doesn’t understand what that means.
For the iconic show, each week two celebrity teams were led by regular captains including the glamorous Holly Willoughby and the equally wild Fearne Cotton.
They then went head-to-head, tackling ridiculous challenges that often left them covered in food, writhing in embarrassment or laughing until they cried.
But creator Leigh, 51, has had to face the reality that as the years go by, the humour of younger generations changes and achieving that spine-tingling laugh is becoming increasingly difficult.
For the iconic show, each week two celebrity teams were led by regular captains including the glamorous Holly Willoughby (left) and the equally wild Fearne Cotton (right) (pictured in 2015).
From embarrassing confessions to unexpected antics, Celebrity Juice was the show where anything could happen and was seen as the perfect solution for the night.
Keith Lemon, comedian Leigh’s outrageous alter ego, was born from Francis’ creative and absurd humor, blending influences from his personal life, pop culture and his ability to embody eccentric characters.
Before Keith Lemon, Francis had already gained popularity with other characters, most notably 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 of 1980s pop culture.
The name “Lemon” comes from a friend Francis had named Keith who shared some of the same bold and exaggerated personality traits.
The character of Keith Lemon debuted in Keith Lemon’s Very Brilliant World Tour in 2008, where he portrayed himself as a fictionalized version of a successful, womanizing businessman.
Leigh’s alter ego was so adored by Brits that many fans don’t realize Keith is not his real name.
He shocked fans when he ditched his comedy alter ego Keith Lemon during a rare interview on The One Show last year.
Leigh raised eyebrows when he made a rare appearance on a BBC show playing himself, rather than his alter ego Keith.
When hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas introduced him as a guest, Leigh admitted it felt strange to use his own name.
He confessed: “Isn’t it weird? When I hear my name, it sounds weird to me.”
At the time, fans flocked to Twitter to share their shock at discovering Leigh appeared as himself for the rare TV interview.
One wrote: “Nice to see Leigh Francis as himself,” while another admitted: “I had no idea there was a real Keith Lemon.”
On the show, Leigh recounted how he had been told not to wear a big hat, like his alter ego Keith does, so that fans could tell the difference between him and the character.
On the show she said: “You know what the PR person said? ‘Don’t put on a hat so they can tell you’re not Keith Lemon, you’re Leigh Francis.'”
Leigh decided to put her alter ego aside for the interview as she was promoting her first UK tour, My First Time, which she is performing under her own name.
But he assured fans that they will still see plenty of his infamous characters on his tour, which kicks off in March next year.
Explaining why he won’t be doing the entire tour as Leigh, he said: “They keep talking about it, but I’m not really doing it as myself, I’m doing it as a variety of characters I’ve played over the last 21 years.”
During her appearance on The One Show, Leigh also opened up about how her alter ego Keith Lemon came about, admitting she took the name from her childhood friend.
He said he is still friends with the real Keith Lemon and said his friend has to carry around a picture of him so people don’t think he’s the comedian.
He shocked fans when he ditched his comedy alter ego Keith Lemon during a rare interview on The One Show last year (pictured 2023)
In December 2022, Leigh appeared on Celebrity Juice for the final time as comedian Keith Lemon as he bid farewell to the panel show after 14 years on air.
She wiped her eyes with emotion in the final episode, titled Celebrity Juice: The Happy Ending, as the show came to an end after an impressive 26-season run.
He was joined by team captains Laura Whitmore and Emily Atack for the final episode, along with former captains Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton, who starred in the show when it launched in 2008.
Guests Will Mellor, Joey Essex, Big Narstie, Chris Ramsey and Joe Swash also appeared in the studio for the momentous occasion.
