Memories of Bo Selecta | Leigh Francis Discusses Comedy TV in the Early 2000's
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Watch the full podcast here! - • Craig's Diary Room: Po...
Listen to Craig's Diary Room on Spotify here - open.spotify.c...
Craig's Diary Room is a podcast which aims to provide a behind-the-scenes insight into the media and entertainment industries, from the perspective of industry professionals. Hosted by former Big Brother UK winner and TV handyman Craig Phillips!
In this episode, join Craig for an exclusive interview with BAFTA winning comedian and actor, Leigh Francis. Known best perhaps for his hilarious alter ego, Keith Lemon, and his work on the TV shows Bo Selecta and Celebrity Juice, Leigh shares insights into his career, inspirations, and the creative process behind his iconic characters.
Filmed at the beautiful Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, on Leigh's very first solo tour "My First Time", get ready to laugh and be entertained as we delve into the world of comedy with one of the industry's brightest stars. Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that offers a unique glimpse into the life of Leigh Francis.
Follow Leigh on instagram here - / leighfrancis
Subscribe to Leigh on TH-cam - @leigh_francis
If you'd like to see more DIY videos in the future please subscribe to our TH-cam channel @MrandMrsDIY and follow us on all social media handles...
Facebook - / mrandmrsdiytv
TikTok - / mrandmrsdiy
Instagram - / mrandmrsdiytv
Website - www.mrandmrsdi...
Our DIY Fan Forum - / 551008312469456
Our Paint Sprayer Forum - / 6800751076606529
Our Tiling and Flooring Forum - / 205834592533485
#podcast #boselecta #leighfrancis
Bo Selecta series 1 & 2 were a MASSIVE part of my teenage years. We would go out and get pissed with cheap cider and quote Bo selecta all night then go home and watch the DVD on repeat. Fun times.
The good old days
I enjoyed the show but you sound like bit of an annoying twat. Lol
Me and my cousin loved that program! I remember an episode where Michael jackson came on and had us both in stitches!!
Got to be careful who you mention it to now just in case it upsets anyone which is a shame.
Very funny show!
Me too! I was lucky to go to a few of the celebrity Juice shows man you should have seen some of the outtakes that never made TV.@@ttatimbo5830
Remember when Father Jack done that Leigh Francis impression? "I'm so so sorrrrry"? That was spot on.
Glad I lived the Bo Selecta days. Classic.
Me too
Leigh's weeping apology and calling Trisha Goddard one of his favourite people, was more offensive than any of the jokes he made.
Funny how they didn’t complain about it at the time?
Agreed…
I’ve always said it wasn’t offensive or racist, it was a caricature…
Same as every other celebrity he mimicked
Yeh he wasn't making fun of their race but there character.
Haha, he comes from a good place, a very genuine man
What? For ‘Rice & peas & TINNNGG!!” 🤷♂️😆
Bo Selecta, Jackass, Balls of Steel. These were my salad days. I loved life back then.
The good old days
Amazing shows that didn't care!
Militant Black Guy. One of the best things ever.
@@eclectica1 Balls of Steel! Brilliant!
Red dwarf and green wing were funny as well, life deffo felt different back then. Do you remember 'the word' on channel 4? That's going way back though. Late night channel 4 used to be the best 💯
This just highlights how far society has fallen in that we can't have this type of comedy anymore. What's deemed acceptable should not be a subjective thing, free speech is objective and people who get offended should not dictate things as the flaw is in them if they think the world should bend to their feelings
You should see the show it's full of the same type of comedy!
@@MrandMrsDIY Im 41 mate I was obsessed with the show at the time and you were great in it, I'm saying how sad it is that this type of comedy is dead because an easily offended vocal minority controls the narrative. Very sad
@@chrisnolan8885 Thanks mate!
This man's creativity and talent should be celebrated. We loved his characters then and we can love the man now. Legend in my eyes
We agree
Those Mel B sketches still crack me up to this day.
I know us too
Ooooh Crab paste, ya bastards ya
@@conorbrierley1yer complete set o' bastards yer..
@@conorbrierley1 it weren't a dream pats ,smell ye fingers oooh
Oooh me minge is kickin' up a right pong
No no no no!!! It wasn't crazy back then!! It's crazy now!! The fact you are now unable to make and tell the jokes you could then is the crazy thing. These times are crazy and terrible. Those times were great.
Depends who you ask!
@@MrandMrsDIY No it shouldn't be a subjective thing, free speech is objective and people who get offended should not dictate things as the flaw is in them if they think the world should bend to their feelings
Of course it was crazy back then, that was the point of it, it was weird & shocking… it wasn’t very funny, just abstract… the only difference between then & now is nowadays it would never get commissioned because it might upset & offend mentally fragile people.
@@saneman7177Mentally Fragile people - you mean terminally offended people!
Loved Bo Selecta and Celebrity Juice, got to go to a couple of recordings and briefly met Leigh as Keith Lemon. Genuinely nice bloke.
It's amazing till this day people still don't know Leigh Francis , a testament to how good his characters are .
Totally true
Yes absolutely, it's only in the last few years where he's came out from behind the mask (literally) and shown his true face!
Brilliant little interview and lookback at Bo' Selecta. Would be great to have it come back for a 1 off special and see just how far the boundaries could be pushed in todays world. The original sketches still make me laugh today
Thanks very much! Same here, would love it if it came back and just mocked everything!
@MrandMrsDIY come on Craig. Am sure you can give Leigh a little nudge to make it happen 😂
I think they’d get away with it .times are slowly changing
So good to see you guys back together chatting about the show, great stuff Craig cheers for this 😉
Thanks mate! Really enjoyed it!
Got series 1,2 and 3 on dvd! It really is a classic comedy!
I loved the outtakes, Craig and Ozzy in the cupboard with the lovely ladies always brings a giggle 🤣
Thankyou for the vid! 😁👍
Thanks mate, much appreciated!
*New Subscriber* : I'm DELIGHTED that TH-cam popped your channel up for me today. That was great ! I *LOVED* Bo'Selecta back in the day, ( and have it on DVD - a treasured possession ). I bonded with a new girlfriend over it ( she didn't get it at first, and then would say "Thank you, please" at the most random times that had me crying with laughter. The Bear was her fravourite). Even on re-watch, Scary Spice can reduce this grown man to helpless tears of laughter. Craig stuck in the closest was a classic. Leigh Francis is a comedy genius. And what a talented artist too ! Looking forward to watching more of your content. Greetings from Prague, CZ !
Many thanks for your comment, I'm so pleased to hear it
My favourite impression was Father Jack doing that Leigh Francis impression. "I'm so so sorrrrry!"...
Which one
@@MrandMrsDIY the one where Duracell here embarrassed himself by crying like a wet rag for making jokes in bo selecta. A performance that will rightly stick with the coward till his last breath 😂
Mate this just got recommended to me, ah man, I loved watching Bo Selecta so much. I'll keep bringing it up and it's nuts how many people know Keith Lemon but not any of Bo Selecta. The Michael Jackson special did me in so hard, like bloody Steve Erwin with the stingray stuck to his head. "Heaven is totally BONZA." 😂😂😂 Pure genius. 👌
Hahaha brilliant!
I'm exactly the same mate! MoFo Selecta!
“Hello to you, it is me Avid Merrion, I am hiding in the popstars the rivals girls laundry basket…….smell the knickers”. 😂😭
Thank you please
I read that in his voice
Bo selecta was the best part of my childhood 😊😂
Proper Bo!
@MrandMrsDIY 🤣🤣 thanks Craig 🤣🤣
This is proper Bo I tell thee. Glad I found your channel. I'll start digging into your DIY videos now and see if there's anything that will help me with my self build. 👍 Oh and shout out to Leigh Frances, the guys is a legend
Thank you very much! We're pleased you have found our channel and we hope you find our videos helpful!
Thanks for this, BoSelecta and the spin-offs where Big part of my student life. I still crack the jokes to those in the know and they get what i mean, those not in the know miss out on the gold that was! Can't do anything these days, was way better when it was the lawless time Leigh spoke off.
Agreeded
That's cool to see Craig has got a TH-cam channel on the go.
Thanks mate! Hope you're well!
Aye man cheers, same to you and yours!
Brings back great memories, loved Bo Selecta
Us too
I'm not going back in the cupboard!
"Sharrronnnn! They all fookin mad!"
"I beat the bleep ,muthafucka! Aw they got me dat time 😂😂😂😂😂 Great days man
Cheers
I literally own 2 replica masks from the show, have gone out in full drag as Mel B, have gone out as Craig David with Kes and I have seen everything Leigh has made even before Bo Selecta and even I lost respect for him and called him a clown for that pathetic apology. Allowing yourself to be cancelled is the most beta thing one could ever do in their career....
Times change my friend and sometimes you have to adjust
@@MrandMrsDIY No you don’t. Jimmy Carr is more offensive than anything Leigh ever did and yet he’s still wildly popular since 1997 and to this day. Adhering to woke nonsense is not “adjusting”. It’s bending a knee to fascist ideology.
Never apologise for comedy bo selecta was great and the outtakes were craig is tied up in the cupboard is comedy goal im glad they were all in the dvds..
I agree thanks
@@MrandMrsDIY like Avid I f@cking love the Crag!! as he says it ...
Bloody brilliant. Bo Selecta is underrated
Very much so!
“It’s me John Lennon” always made me laugh “look at our yoko go with that yoyo”
Yes same here hahaha!
Going to work after the big breakfast just lined you up for youre day ,good times .
Very good times!
What a great show. You had to be there.
It was brilliant
Lawless time? No. It's was normality and funny. Today it's very sinister in how these idiot's feel the need to apologise.
Yes the show was very funny and well liked!
Bo selector and trigger happy tv my favourite programs ever.
Great stuff!
Don't forget phone jacker
I LOVED his video game reviews! Followed him ever since. Top bloke by all accounts👍 Chamone Mofo Selecta is a Boxing Day tradition in our house, has been for around 12 years now!
Hahaha brilliant!
De Craig! 😁In my humble opinion. Leigh Francis will forever be a legit comedic genius for 'Bo' Selecta!'. There wasn't anything that made me howl as much as that series, especially series 2. To this day, I will imitate Mel B (usually to myself) as that was always my favourite!
Your right mate
It was the FHM/Nuts/Zoo magazine era. R.I.P Caroline Flack, gone too soon. I remember Caroline Flack being in the Proper Crimbo music video.
Yes same here! She was lovely, very sad
she played michael jacksons chimp bubbles in it
@@barryburke-h9p Thats right bless her
I will for the rest of my days always thank this lot for making the stuff they did. it was hilarious :)
Absolutely!
Bo selecta is probably the most unique and funniest comedy show ever made.
I think so too! Not just because I was in it!
I'm gonna get my Bo Selecta box sets out and have a good laugh. That's a hard thing to do these days.
Ha ha me too
Good to see you Craig, Big Brother royalty, the sitting at the table calling out Nick scene is still legendary. Met one of your former housemates Caroline about 20 years ago, needless to say she was having a ciggie!
Hahaha cheers mate! There's a reason Rylan calls me the Godfather on Big Brother's Little Brother!
@@MrandMrsDIY absolutely concur with that geeza 😂👍🏻
Wow it’s fascinating all the people in the background avid getting his break
Yes definitely!
I've genuinely not seen Craig since his Bo Selecta days.
Pleased to see he hasn't changed a bit.
Thanks mate!
literally forgot craig was in it till i seen this and all it came back hahaha legendary
Cheers mate haha, yes I was chained up in Avid's cupboard!
Need more of this
we totally agree
His funniest sketch was that one where he grovels like fuck to the camera begging for his career
Are you sure it wasn't one with me in?!
And his apology to you no who .the people who raid shops 😅
The 4%
He took the piss out of everyone, no one was safe.. and he was hilarious. Sad how things have ended up when a great British comedian has to apologise to keep his career from being ruined by American kids. Sad times.
The show was brilliant! The tour was more of the same!
I loved bo selecta, and I still use quotes from it to this day, especially mel B 🤣 How doooooo
funny
It's Ronnayy Barkkayy doing porridge
😂😂😂
Love it
Bo Selecta was top notch!
Agreed!
Proper bo!
Bo Selecta was legendary
Unbelievable show!
Luuk! It’s my new buuk. You just have to luuk for it
You get a free Buuk mark
What
@@djhillfinger Still don't get it
@@MrandMrsDIY Mel bs new book. season 1 episode 1
@@goodchaps4642 Brilliant
Honestly, the first time I've ever seen him out of character. Even on Celebrity Juice and TV ads it was as the Keith Lemon character. Got to the point that I thought that pretty much was him with slight embellishments. After seeing this, the man's a genius.
He is that
Craig was a wonderful sport at that time stuck in that cupboard I think he was fortunate enough to be in on the jokes.
He was thanks
No comedy artist should ever apologise for their content. Its humour which is subjective so nothing is off limits!
Leigh should never have apologised here but I get he had to because off the pressure and his future career.
Had loads of fun making the series! Great days!
All those who are woke now, Will eventually grow up.
The concept of being "woke" and cultural attitudes towards comedy can certainly evolve over time. What's considered acceptable or taboo often shifts as society progresses. It's possible that what's deemed risky comedy today may become more widely accepted in the future.
Yes agreed
I remember the one where ozzy and Craig had some birds in the cupboard and ozzy kept getting His lines wrong was meant to say “ I dunno whathe is “ but was saying “ who he is “ and Craig was buzzing as they got to keep doing retakes with the ladies 😂
😂😂
It was the best time. Now it's like an insane circus
Hahaha yes
It wasn't a lawless time, its just that we weren't all a bunch of pussies
Hahaha
Facts
I lost all respect for him after his tearful (please don’t cancel me) apology. Haven’t watched him since.
You're missing out, his live show was basically all the best bits of Bo into one!
He should've owned it! It's called comedy, if offended then don't watch it!! If any apology were to be given, was to Craig David as didn't do his career any good.
Agreed, it was pathetic
I kinda wish Leigh would go back to doing Bo Selecta style stuff. That show (and the characters on it) was so funny back in the day, but nowadays Leigh seems like he's got stuck in the Keith Lemon character, and that character stopped being funny years ago.
Don't get me wrong, the character of Keith Lemon was great during the first few seasons of Celebrity Juice, but the joke kinda ran flat a long time ago and Leigh just kept going with it. Now it seems like he's not able to get rid of the persona.....and now he's advertising for gambling companies as Keith, which really doesn't help either!
He definitely needs to find a new outlet and a new character to freshen things up!
The live show was great! It was a mix of everything and anything he's done!
@@MrandMrsDIY I understand he didn't do any of the black characters though?
I think that type of comedy is dated now, like little Britain i dont think it would take off in this era
I saw the bo selecta live show in Birmingham a few weeks back even after all these years men in rubber masks is still funny
It's a brilliant show!
Enjoyed that a lot
Thanks
Thanks mate
1999-2007 before the financial crash was probably the best period to be a 20-28 year old...!
Yes definitely!
Jamiroquai called, he wants his hat back
😂😂
😂😂😂😂
It's an absolute shame that Bo Selecta wouldn't be made now. The woke, snowflake generation are missing out on some brilliant comedy. People are so scared of offending folk now that it's killed it.
It was a great series!
Lee shouldn't have
Apologised! He bent the knee! Crying to camera? Wtf !
Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't!
Yeah, but we don't know what kind of gun was being held to his head at the time.... dont blame him for that, I doubt he had any choice..
Jokes are jokes. A shame as i reckon majority of people agree and still use the same language and jokes. But seem to pander to the minority these days.
It's good to have a laugh
Unfortunately he'll be remembered for the awful grovelling apologies that he never needed to make That's the only cringe moment in his career. All the backbone of a jellyfish.
I disagree, he has created some brilliant characters and done some amazingly funny work over the years!
@@MrandMrsDIYname it and I can guarantee it wasn’t funny or good
@@MrandMrsDIY All that past that he apologised for as he grovelled shamelessly for no reason at all.
Bo selecta was insanely funny , the masks and voices , things said and scenes .. 😂 . Couldnt do it now , all the thin skin crybabys would have it cancelled
Yes it was absolutely brilliant!
It was a shame he apologised for certain stuff he did in it. Why should you have to say sorry for funny stuff!? Slowly the world is waking up to cancel culture thankfully. ITS ALL A LAUGH GUYS STOP BEING OFFENDED COMEDY!! Let’s have a REEEEEEWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND!!
Shamone!
I remember the paramount channel episodes. In the caravan in a field.
Hahaha wow!
cream of the crop of 90s british comedy in one office
Very true
Leigh Francis could of had it all but what does he do? Goes and apologises and begs for forgiveness and THEN just when you think the Legend has returned with a brand new series of Bo Salecta he goes and cancels it himself in case he offends anybody what a disappointing end for one of the most funniest men that ever lived . Still watch Bo Salecta and it still makes me cry tears laughing like it did when i was 14
RIP
He is a legend, I didn't know he cancelled it himself
Hear me out
Leigh Francis and Karl pilkington dry comedy as a pair of roommates getting into shenanigans Karl the sensible one and Leigh as wreckless one,bottom meets one foot in the grave 😂
Sounds great
Spider man 2 sketch on series 3 was hilarious 😂
Brilliant stuff!
Little ITV contract boy. Apologised for some of his work. Shit himself. Little drip.
Times change mate
Look it's my book ooohhh
grrrrr!
His apology ruined him... BO was class.. kids would love something like that now and not a woke PC glazed crap they get now
BO Was brilliant!
It were funny as flip. Proper bo, i tell thee.
Agreed!
"You could say anything back then"....and that is the problem today, you can't say anything without offending someone. There is no comedy now.
There is still a lot on! Maybe not as funny but it's subjective!
They don't make shows like that anymore, bring it back lee, Shamone MF
I agree
Bo Selecta was before the snowflakes of the Internet were born. You could say anything even offensive stuff and people knew the nuance and satire of it all.
Thats true
Anyone else watching this with a plastic owl on their arm?
(I don't have a Kestrel). 🏆🇬🇧🏆
Our Kes!
He’s a spineless sellout
How so?
@@MrandMrsDIY crybaby
@@FarcicalDarci what you talking about
@@MrandMrsDIY do you know anything about Leigh??
Craig David be lovin this vid 😅
Reeewind!
@@MrandMrsDIY o tis proper bo i tell thee
The terrible money quizzes on tv are a crime in taste lol
Hahaha yes, especially when the prizes aren't very good!
I used to watch this all the time and laugh my arse off. There's a certain demographic that quotes it still on the daily, im sure. You'd never get away with this now😂😂
Thanks mate!
Cult classic show u wouldn't get to make today also miss celebrity juice another good show that got cancelled a few years ago and would never be possible to be made again today long live british comedy ❤
Yes definitely, great telly!
Its a absolutely tragic he apologied for this show. We are living in the mad times now, back then was the normal times. Everyone knows it, they just save face in the public eye, to keep the small minority who cry on twitter off their back....
Comedy changes over the years!
@@MrandMrsDIY It sure does. This isn't that. This is just pressure from a very small minority.
Leigh killed his career with that snivelling apology. Shame.
I wouldn't say that! Every single tour date has sold out and he's doing another one next year to keep up with the demand!
Different times aka better times when jokes weren't called far right hate crimes ffs.
True
Omg I fukin love bo selecta ❤ couldn't get away wi that shit now though 🙄
I know
Lost a lot of respect for him when he bent the knee to a minority of people with mental health issues. His Mel B had me in stitches “ooooh yer bastard”
His Mel B was one of my personal favourite bits!
When the world wasn't a crazy woke mess
Haha
Yep no more free speech in England anymore! Which equals the end of comedy!
There's hundreds of comedians around! Some more ruthless than others!
Its good he finally uses his real name now
I know, even I found it weird tho
Hurtty word people have killed comedy. Its the worst its evey been now.
You can still go out and see some amazing comics live, have you not seen Clinton Baptiste?!
Crab Paste!!
Grrrrr!
Maartey on his scootey 😂
Hahaha
Who remembers David Blaine? Shazam "Wana get a room"
Brilliant with the magic eye hahahaha
The last and only thing he's done that was good.
He's done loads of great stuff!
Ozzy is/was a Turkish Cypriot and as a Turkish Cypriot I loved your interactions with him.
I enjoyed the show a lot back then and I saw the characters you did not as impressions at all just ridiculous caricatures of the famous names, obviously not real in any way shape or form to the actual people portrayed. Sadly the problem is not the mid twenties and beyond adult who enjoyed the show but the young adults kids or teens who may have seen it as an in to being nasty and horrible to the children or family or indeed the famous name you portrayed.
I am 100% certain that Leigh in no way set out to disrupt any of those famous peoples lives and did it for comedy value, and with respect at that time it seemed that silliness was rife and normal remember we had Men behaving badly too which was also very much loved but less appropriate for today.
I remember the one character I hated Leigh doing the most and that was Craig David I was a fan, maybe that had something to do with it, I did enjoy it for a season maybe, after that It became boring and then annoying even though I knew 100% it had nothing at all that was to do with Craig just a silly mask and northern voice it still was not sitting comfortably, and I can only imagine what David was going through as a young star it could not have been easy especially as they have to be seen in a certain lets say cool popular light .
Leigh Francis should stop saying sorry he has said it many times, he has obviously learnt something from past ventures and is now I am sure enlightened to what should not be done.
As for those who are annoyed that Leigh Francis has been decent enough to say he was wrong, they are not in Leighs shoes nor are they in the shoes of the famous names who lived through the time of that show and went through what they went through.
By the way I am 100% sure Leigh knows very well where Ozzy is originally from he is just keeping the joke alive, I am just informing everyone else.
Thanks mate!
People are annoyed at the fact that he thinks he did something wrong in the first place… and then felt the need to apologise for it. There was nothing to apologise for. He was just begging to keep his career alive and not get cancelled. Far easier to grovel to the woke parade than stick to your original ideas, that nobody found offensive.
Need to stop apologising it was a great time for comedy before everything became woke and everyone became offended by everything...
Agreed, had loads of fun making it!