Leigh Francis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leigh Francis
Francis as Keith Lemon at the 66th British Academy Film Awards in 2013
Birth name	Leigh Izaak Francis
Born	(1973-04-30) 30 April 1973 (age 52) Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Medium	Television
Genres	Character comedy impressions parody sketch
Spouse	Jill Carter ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	2

Leigh Izaak Francis (born on April 30, 1973) is a famous English television presenter, comedian, actor, and writer. Many people know him by his character, Keith Lemon. He is well-known for creating and starring in the Channel 4 sketch comedy show Bo' Selecta! (2002–2009). He also presented popular ITV shows like Celebrity Juice (2008–2022) and Through the Keyhole (2013–2019). His other comedy shows include Lemon La Vida Loca (2012–2013) and The Keith & Paddy Picture Show (2017–2018).

Early Life and First Steps in TV

Growing Up in Leeds

Leigh Francis was born in Beeston, Leeds, England, on April 30, 1973. He grew up in Old Farnley, Leeds. His father passed away when Leigh was younger.

Education and Discovery

Francis went to Farnley Park High School. He later studied graphic design at Jacob Kramer College. Before he became famous on TV, presenter Davina McCall discovered him. She saw him performing stand-up comedy in a club.

First TV Roles

Davina McCall helped Francis get his first TV role on Dom and Kirk's Nite O' Plenty in 1996. He played Bobby Stark, a character who gave tips on how to impress people. His next role was Barry Gibson, a music photographer, on Channel 4's Popworld. Francis also played various characters, including Keith Lemon and Avid Merrion, in the show Whatever I Want in 2000.

Leigh Francis's Comedy Career

Early Comedy Shorts

In his early career, Francis made short videos for Paramount Comedy. These were called Stars in Their Houses. You can still find some of these videos online.

The Birth of Bo' Selecta!

His big break came when Channel 4 offered him a deal to create a show based on his characters. In 2002, Bo' Selecta! was launched. In this show, Francis played many celebrities by wearing face masks. He also played the main character, Avid Merrion. The show ran for five series until 2006. The later series changed a bit. Series 4 was about another character, The Bear, and was called A Bear's Tail. Series 5, called Bo! in the USA, brought back Avid Merrion.

Keith Lemon Takes Over

After Bo' Selecta! ended, Francis focused on his character Keith Lemon. He created a new show called Keith Lemon's Very Brilliant World Tour, which aired in 2008 on ITV2. This show was very popular.

The Success of Celebrity Juice

Following the success of the world tour, Francis created Celebrity Juice, starring Keith Lemon. This show became a huge hit and ran for 26 series from 2008 to 2022. Keith Lemon also co-hosted other ITV shows like Sing If You Can (2011) with Stacey Solomon and Keith Lemon's LemonAid (2012).

Leigh Francis with Kelly Brook at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival

Film and Other TV Shows

In 2012, Leigh Francis starred in his first movie, Keith Lemon: The Film, alongside Kelly Brook. He has since presented or appeared in many other ITV2 shows as Keith Lemon. These include Through the Keyhole (2013–2019), The Keith Lemon Sketch Show (2015–2016), and The Keith & Paddy Picture Show (2017–2018) with Paddy McGuinness. He also had a small role in the 2019 Elton John movie Rocketman.

Recent Work and Tours

Leigh Francis continues to create content for his YouTube channel. He posts sketches similar to his earlier work. In early 2024, he went on tour with his show My First Time. He also competed on The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off in 2024, a charity special, and won his episode. In October 2024, he made a special appearance in the West End musical Back to the Future the Musical.

Personal Life

Leigh Francis married Jill Carter, a beauty therapist, on October 30, 2002, at Allerton Castle, North Yorkshire. They have two daughters together.

How Leigh Francis Works

When Leigh Francis gives interviews, he often stays in character. For example, he was interviewed as Avid Merrion during Bo' Selecta!'s run. Since then, he has usually been interviewed as Keith Lemon. However, he has also given interviews as himself on shows like Loose Women and Sunday Brunch. He once shared that the accent for Avid Merrion was inspired by his old tutor at Jacob Kramer College.

Filmography

Television Shows

Movies

Awards and Nominations