Celebrity Juice on ITV2 just goes from strength to strength, and this September the panel show returns for an incredible 14th series so I caught up with Keith Lemon for another chat.
Shortly after speaking to Keith Lemon about Through The Keyhole, I spoke to him about Celebrity Juice, and we discussed The X Factor, the Kardashian’s and his favourite Juice guests.
What is it about Celebrity Juice that keeps it fresh for you?
I think it’s just doing it with your best mates I suppose. We just laugh a lot and get drunk a lot. Last series it were my birthday and we got drunk and I won’t watch that episode. I can’t even remember what happened. I nearly cried on that one because there were lots of nice messages from people saying Happy Birthday. Holly said “Don’t cry or I’ll start crying” so then I’d start crying on purpose to make her cry.
Do you know anything about the new series and any specials there might be?
I expect there’ll be an X Factor special, because there always is.
Talking about X Factor, what do you make of the new panel?
It’s really young. I saw the first picture, and I don’t want to disrespect Simon Cowell, but he chose them and now he’s sort of distanced himself. He’s on one side and all the young people on the other side.
It’s going to be interesting, because when I was suggesting names for Keyhole, they always say to me that ITV is an older demographic and we can’t have Celebrity Juice guests, so it’s a bit of a contradiction what they’ve done with X Factor making it really young.
I think the average age of an ITV viewer is 50, so it’s going to be strange I think. I’m a bit nervous that they’ve changed it too much. I’m a big fan of Louis Walsh as well, he said some funny things and I don’t think it’ll be the same without him.
Who are your favourite guests to have on Celebrity Juice?
Anyone that I know in real life. Paddy McGuinness, Verne Troyer, Emma Bunton, Joe Swash, Danny Dyer. Although the thing is, now that he’s in EastEnders, you can never get him. They’ll never let him do anything, and whenever I bump into him at awards he’s always apologising, saying - “You know what it’s like, they won’t let me do anything.”
I don’t think they want him to be Danny Dyer outside of the character he plays in EastEnders. I think that’s true with a lot of soaps actually. Michelle Keegan hasn’t done a lot with us for a while. I hope she ain’t forgot about me.
Would you ever invite any of the Kardashian’s onto Juice, and if so who?
Oh yeah, 100%! I don’t think they’ll come on though. But you never know, sometimes we do have Americans on, and they’re all puzzled at the beginning and then they love it. They go - “I can’t believe you can get away with what you get away with!"
It would have to be Khloe. I think she’s the best one, she gives more chat than any of the other ones and I think she’s getting fitter and fitter. I used to think she looked like my mate Big Tom (Tom Davis) and that’s who plays here in our sketch show.
Speaking of which, we’re going to have to tackle Bruce, or Caitlyn now in the next sketch show. Our producer was very nervous about it, but our commissioner said we have to tackle it, and I think we have to. But we’ve solved that problem, because Ashley Roberts is going to be Bruce Jenner.
She’s now a cast member in the next one because she played Lorraine Baines in the Back To The Future tribute we just did, and she were amazing.
How much input do you have in the games that appear in the show?
Sometimes I’ll say - “I’m not doing that” - a couple of series ago they wanted me to compete in eating dog food out of a bowl... with a dog! I would have done it years ago but I can’t do that now, I’ve got to have a bit of pride! (Laughs)
I used to put more input into it, but the team are fantastic and they come up with all the games. I just go on stage, ad-lib my pants off and wing it! I’m lucky that I’m alright at winging stuff.
You’re about to enter the seventh year of Celebrity Juice, do you still enjoy it as much now as you did in the beginning?
It’s the same as going out. So unless you get bored of talking, or conversing, or having fun then yeah. It’s either the pub, or Juice. They’re both the same for me. We laugh and I just have to say scores every now and then, but other than that it’s exactly the same.
After it’s finished filming we continue and it’s a proper night out. Holly has always said it’s her night out and it is.
What’s happening with Fearne now that she’s having a baby?
Gino’s going to fill in. I’ll miss Fearne next series, but Gino’s a lot of fun!