Leigh Francis explains why you’re meant to find Keith Lemon funny
Leigh Francis explains why you’re meant to find Keith Lemon funny
Share:
‘Most comedians just want to make people laugh,’ the TV personality said. 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.
![[Leigh Francis as Keith Lemon (centre), alongside past ‘Celebrity Juice’ team captains Holly Willoughby (left) and Fearne Cotton (right)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/06/29/18/newFile.jpg)
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.
![[Lemon attends the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival in 2021]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/10/27/21/newFile-6.jpg)
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. 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”.
![[Craig David has previously accused Francis of being ‘racist’ and ‘bullying’]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/10/09/12/Craig-David-Keith-Lemon.jpg)
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.
