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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Verity Sulway

Keith Lemon's Celebrity Juice 'facing axe' after Holly Willoughby quits show

ITV2's Celebrity Juice, hosted by Keith Lemon, is reportedly being discussed in crunch talks as the channel decides whether the show has a future.

Holly Willoughby was a team captain on the comedy panel show for 12 years, but recently quit and starred in her final episode earlier this month via a video call.

She cited wanting to spend more time with her husband and three children as her reason for leaving the show behind.

She was an original on the show alongside fellow team captain Fearne Cotton, who quit in 2018, and now only Keith, an alias of Leigh Francis, remains.

The show's future has been called into question (ITV / Talkback Thames)

This has raised questions as to whether the show should return after lockdown with different team captains.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Keith said: "Everyone's saying we'll definitely continue but we've got to get it right, haven't we?"

He also recently said on social media chat show Hello! Let's Gab: "Everyone keeps asking me who the new captain is but I don't know what the future of Celebrity Juice is at the moment, it's a lot of meetings."

Host Gaby Roslin asked: "Oh, but it's going to come back, isn't it?"

Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton were the original team captains on Celebrity Juice (ITV)

Keith replied: "It's a lot of meetings. I'm probably supposed to say it's meant to come back, lead with positive words but we've got to get it right, the next phase has to be right I guess."

He also said he felt Holly and Fearne outgrew the rude and raunchy show, explaining: "It wasn't a surprise if I'm honest.

"Holly] is so busy, she's doing This Morning, Dancing on Ice, a new show with Bradley Walsh and she has been doing Juice for 12 years and I think what happened is Holly and Fearne grew up, and I didn't.

"They have to go and do what they have to do as grownups but I still have fun on a Wednesday night filming Celebrity Juice."

MirrorOnline has contacted a rep for the show for comment.

Temporary team captains in the past either covering Holly and Fearne on maternity leave or during their own stints have included Kelly Brook, Paddy McGuinness, and Melanie Brown.

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