Comedian Leigh Francis, best known as his alter ego Keith Lemon from the BAFTA-winning show Celebrity Juice, met his lifelong hero David Hockney in February 2023. The encounter took place at Hockney's immersive exhibition Bigger & Closer at the Lightroom in London's King's Cross.
Francis, 53, was accompanied by his friend Phil and comic Keith Allen when a staff member approached him. “This guy with a head set came up to me and said ‘David would like to meet you.’ I was like ‘me?’” Francis recounted. He added that Hockney was sitting on a fire escape smoking a cigarette. Keith Allen suggested taking a photo. Francis asked Hockney how he knew who he was, and Hockney replied that he used to watch Celebrity Juice. “It was crazy,” Francis said.
Fire Alarm Interrupts Meeting
During the meeting, the fire alarm went off. Francis joked that it was the right time for Keith Allen to get his picture, and the group took a photo together. Afterward, Francis went home, told his wife, and cried. “It’s weird when you meet your childhood heroes,” he said.
Francis, who holds a diploma in graphic design and advertising from Leeds’ Jacob Kramer College, wrote his thesis about Hockney. “He was an icon, a master, a Jedi. It was like meeting Santa Claus,” Francis said. “I was so chuffed to meet him and humbled that he even knew who I was.” Hockney died last month at age 88.
Other Starstruck Moments
Francis also recalled meeting Patsy Kensit, who used to be on his wall and is now his mate. He was starstruck meeting Vic Reeves and Emma Bunton. Discovered doing stand-up in the 1990s by Davina McCall, she helped him land his first break on MTV with Bo'Selecta! (2002–2008), which spawned Keith Lemon and Avid Merrion. He later hosted Celebrity Juice (2008–2022) and Through the Keyhole (2013–2019).
Living in north London with his wife Jill Carter, 53, a beauty therapist whom he met as a teenager in Leeds, and their daughters Matilda, 19, and Dolly, 17, Francis is equally effusive about his family. “I have not kissed anyone apart from my wife since I was 19. She is beautiful and really funny,” he said. “Sometimes you are lucky and I was lucky meeting the right person.”
Recent Projects and Family
Growing up on a council estate in Old Farnley, Leeds, Francis lost his father to cancer at age 47. He now tours with live comedy shows, DJs at festivals, produces YouTube content, and presents on Virgin Radio. He appeared in the Elton John biopic Rocketman, though his full scene was cut to a single line. “When I saw it I was glad it was an ace film,” he said.
His children are unimpressed by his fame, but they ask to meet celebrities he knows. “They like Andrew Garfield. I know him by accident as I was walking into the premiere of Spiderman when he was and you don't want to walk into the star of the show. But he looked at me and went ‘big fan,’” Francis said. They met again at Glastonbury watching Elton John, and Francis asked about more Spiderman films. “I Spidermanned the sh** out of him!” he joked.
First Art Exhibition
Francis, who worked in graphic design before comedy, will hold his first art exhibition on 4 September titled When I’m Not Titting About On Telly at 1853 Studios & Gallery in Oldham, Greater Manchester. “I have always wanted to do one, but it has always fallen on deaf ears,” he said. The gallery asked for paintings, and he sent 70; they needed only 20. His works include Elvis, Kylie Minogue, and Boy George. He has sold only two paintings in his life, one of which hangs in a restaurant.
Now in his 50s, Francis has slowed down. “I don't drink so much now. I used to feel really guilty coming home and hearing the birds tweeting. I'm older now and a bit more subdued,” he said. He has no desire to revive Celebrity Juice. “People ask if Celebrity Juice will come back, but I say ‘I am too old.’ When I got to 50, I thought ‘whatever happens now is a cherry on the cake.’”
