He's known for taking on the role of his eccentric alter-ego Keith Lemon, but back in the day, Keith – real name Leigh Francis – was just like any other little boy his age. The comedian shared a sweet Instagram photo over the weekend, showing himself dressed up as… Spiderman! In his typical hilarious manner, Keith captioned the throwback: "When I was little I wanted t' be #spiderman but got bitten by a radioactive lemon and became me."
The Celebrity Juice presenter has been entertaining fans for years as Keith. But in reality, the Leeds-born TV star is "quiet and reserved". His close friend Fearne Cotton spoke to Metro, revealing: "In real life he's quiet and reserved and obsessed with creating characters. He's a hyper creative, constantly thinking of new ideas and ways of making people laugh."
Keith shared a cute throwback photo from his childhood
Fearne added that Keith, 45, is the "opposite of his character" and that as a result, people get confused when they meet him in real life. "He might not want to have a selfie," she said.
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Keith has also explained why he chooses to be someone else in the public eye, telling On magazine: "People have said to me I should do more interviews as myself but I feel a bit egotistical sat talking about myself. I'm not Leigh Francis the stand-up comedian. I sell my ideas – so when I'm promoting my ideas I tend to do it in character. I don't really harp on about my personal life. Not that I'm especially private or anything, it's just I don't think people are interested really."
Keith and his wife Jill Carter
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The Through the Keyhole presenter is married to his childhood sweetheart, Jill Carter. The pair tied the knot in October 2002 at Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire and share two daughters, Matilda and Dolly. The couple have been together for decades, with Keith revealing in 2017 just how long their love story has lasted. On their wedding anniversary, he wrote on Instagram: "What a lovely anniversary evening. Together 25 years! Married 14 years! Love you Mrs F ever since we were kids xxxxxxxxxx. Love you very much Mrs Francis."
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