29-06-2022, 05:24 PM
I'm of the common opinion that it is a long overdue decision. I stopped watching years ago, but fairly recently watched back an episode from the "glory days", and it's easy to forget how good it was.
The problem was it went from lampooning celebrity culture to embracing it, and it's something that can be said in general about Leigh Francis, a man who made his name rinsing the rich and famous before becoming best friends with them. Lest we forget the role of Rufus Hound whose sole job was to be the man who looked down on all the celebrity faff and mocked those who deserved it (the story about Kim Woodburn is one to look up, see his interview with Richard Herring).
For me, it became a show where a bunch of mates got drunk and farted about with jokes they knew would make each other laugh, but didn't really bother whether it landed with the audience. I do wonder where Leigh will go from here, because as has been said, the Keith Lemon character has worn thin enough that he's becoming known more for his gambling website adverts than anything else.
His work on the otherwise flawled series he did with Amanda Holden showed Leigh still has a talent for character comedy. I just wonder if he's too deep into the proverbial swimming pool of celebrity status to ever regain that flare he had as a relative outsider of that culture.
The problem was it went from lampooning celebrity culture to embracing it, and it's something that can be said in general about Leigh Francis, a man who made his name rinsing the rich and famous before becoming best friends with them. Lest we forget the role of Rufus Hound whose sole job was to be the man who looked down on all the celebrity faff and mocked those who deserved it (the story about Kim Woodburn is one to look up, see his interview with Richard Herring).
For me, it became a show where a bunch of mates got drunk and farted about with jokes they knew would make each other laugh, but didn't really bother whether it landed with the audience. I do wonder where Leigh will go from here, because as has been said, the Keith Lemon character has worn thin enough that he's becoming known more for his gambling website adverts than anything else.
His work on the otherwise flawled series he did with Amanda Holden showed Leigh still has a talent for character comedy. I just wonder if he's too deep into the proverbial swimming pool of celebrity status to ever regain that flare he had as a relative outsider of that culture.