Melanie Sykes lashes out at Keith Lemon while criticising how men ‘talk about and to’ women

TV presenter criticised Celebrity Juice host in new interview

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Melanie Sykes has made a surprise dig at Keith Lemon while criticising how men speak to women in a new interview.

Lemon, who is the alter ego of actor Leigh Francis, has presented ITV2 series Celebrity Juice since 2008. It’s one of the channel’s biggest shows alongside Love Island, and won a Bafta TV Award in 2012.

Sykes herself has appeared on the show, which originally featured Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton as team captains.

However, in a new interview with Frank Magazine, the presenter criticised Lemon for fuelling how some men might engage with women in the UK.

Sykes said that “in all realms of life, most men are pretty basic and disappointing”, and said she believes Lemon could be a reason for this issue.

“I feel a bit sorry for British men who have adopted the limited vocabulary of the television character Keith Lemon when talking about and to women,” she said.

She added: “I would be surprised, and indeed it would be a miracle, if any of these men are actually getting laid.”

Earlier this year, This Morning host Willoughby quit Lemon’s long-running comedy series, and hailed him as “one of comedy’s finest”.

On Instagram, Willoughby thanked the series for “12 years of fantastic chaos” as well as ITV2 “for believing in the show in the first place”.

Sykes was last seen on screen as presenter of The Great Pottery Throw Down, which moved from the BBC to More4 in January 2020.

The Independent has contacted Francis for comment.