Celebrity Juice comic Leigh Francis says playing raunchy alter-ego Keith Lemon makes him a target for sexual harassment.
The star, 47, revealed he regularly gets groped by leery fans on nights out.
Leigh says he assumes they think it’s okay to touch him because of his cheeky on-screen persona – but he hates it.
He told the Daily Star Sunday: “I get people manhandling me. I think if I was a lady there would be a lot of people in trouble.”
He explained: “I went to see Matt Goss play at a gig and there were a lot of ladies with hands on me.
Leigh Francis says his Keith Lemon alter-ego attracts unwanted attention (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
“I don’t like it when they try to put their fingers in my bum. That’s happened a few times.
“I can’t do corporate gigs and things like that because they all get drunk and try to do that in my bum.
“They think they’re allowed to come up to you while you’re having your dinner and touch you where they shouldn’t. I don’t mind them touching my shoulder when we do a selfie, but not anywhere else. Don’t go down. It’s weird.”
Leigh’s Celebrity Juice role sees him joking about sex as Keith Lemon (Image: ITV / Talkback Thames)
Leigh is famed for his lewd humour when he’s being Keith. But some of the behaviour he sees from fans still manages to shock him.
He said: “I’m always surprised by what people do.
“They say very sexual things about my penis and stuff. Sometimes my friends will be surprised by it and go, ‘How dare they come up to you and say that?’”
Leigh says he’s not OK with fans trying to put their fingers in his bum (Image: Instagram)
Despite some of the behaviour amounting to a criminal offence, Leigh says he blames himself.
As Keith, he is regularly seen perving over female guests on Celebrity Juice.
He said: “I guess what happens with fans is part and parcel of what I do. I project this sexual beast on Celebrity Juice. That’s what I’m like on telly.”
He has been a regular on primetime TV since 2002 on shows including Bo’ Selecta! and Through The Keyhole.
It means he gets recognised wherever he goes.
But he adds: “Generally, people are nice and they want to buy you a drink and stuff.”
Leigh has ditched his lewd antics for his next project as Keith – new series The Fantastical Factory Of Curious Craft, which launches Sunday night at 8pm on Channel 4.
He said: “People will see a different side of me on this show.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
