Controversial comic Leigh Francis to jet into I'm A Celeb as a late arrival to 'stir things up' with campmates
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Leigh Francis will arrive in the I’m A Celebrity jungle as a late entry contestant, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The comedian, 53, whose alter ego was TV’s Keith Lemon, will jet off to Australia early next week after bosses persuaded him to take part.
Sources say that producers believe he will be the ‘perfect’ addition to shake up the camp after the initial 11 contestants get to know one another.
Mr Francis is also expected to ‘prompt a whole lot of chaos’ as it has been suggested that he may switch into Keith Lemon.
One said: ‘Sometimes we get Leigh, other times you get Keith, officially he has signed up as Leigh but let's see. Keith is much more fun and will have no qualms about stirring things up with the campmates.’
Mr Francis will join former England captain Wayne Rooney, Ade Adepitan, actresses Claire Sweeney and Joanna Page and Kaiser Chiefs lead singer Ricky Wilson for this year’s series which starts on Monday.
Leigh Francis will arrive in the I’m A Celebrity jungle as a late entry contestant, the Daily Mail can reveal
Sources say that producers believe he will be the ‘perfect’ addition to shake up the camp after the initial 11 contestants get to know one another
However, despite Mr Francis’ connections with ITV – namely on his panel show Celebrity Juice which was cancelled in 2022, he has denied he would like the chance to jet to the Australian Outback.
When asked by a fan whether he would ever take part in the show, he replied: ‘No way. They did ask me, though. I took the meeting and they were nice people, but I just don't want to do it.’
His appearance will mark a return to screens after his show Celebrity Juice ended. During its 26 series, Mr Francis was responsible for Keith Lemon’s body shaming jibes towards team captain Fearne Cotton as well as coining the nickname Holly Willoughbooby for the former This Morning host who was head of the other panel.
The last time Mr Francis was on screen was in 2024 on The Great Celebrity Bake Off: Stand Up To Cancer on Channel 4.
Two people who will be happy to see him on I’m A Celeb are the show’s hosts, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with whom he is close friends.
The Geordie duo recently issued an open invite to him on their Hanging Out with Ant and Dec podcast.
Ant said: 'Leigh, come on! This is our plea to you. Get in the jungle. You know you want to. It's a lot of fun, and we'll be there.'
Dec said: 'If we got Leigh Francis in the jungle... and we had to stand by and watch him do a trial, let's try and make that happen.'
They said that his appearance would be 'a full circle moment' after Leigh did a sketch on The Keith Lemon Sketch Show a decade ago, in which he and actor Adam Booth were dressed up to look like Ant and Dec.
They added that they wanted to get revenge via a gruesome Bushtucker Trial.
Other rumoured names include Love Island star and influencer Chloe Burrows, YouTuber Sharky, television presenter AJ Odudu, journalist and Loose Women panellist Mariella Frostrup, Victoria’s Secret model
Leomie Anderson and comic Jack Skipper.
Mr Francis was responsible for Keith Lemon’s body shaming jibes towards team captain Fearne Cotton and as well as coining the nickname Holly Willoughbooby
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