Holly Willoughby confirms Celebrity Juice exit
“Thank you for 12 years of fantastic chaos” she said of leaving the Keith Lemon comedy series
Holly Willoughby has confirmed she’s leaving Celebrity Juice, waving goodbye to Keith Lemon’s raucous ITV2 comedy panel show after 12 years as a team captain.
Willoughby’s exit from the show had been rumoured for a while, but a new Instagram post from the This Morning presenter has finally confirmed the news to fans – though she hinted that she could still return as a guest from time to time.
“Thank you Celebrity Juice for 12 years of fantastic chaos... I can’t quite believe what we’ve done and how quick that time has gone,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you to you all for watching..we’ve always had the loudest and best audiences. Also a huge thank you to ITV2 for believing in the show in the first place and for all of your support.”
Willoughby has appeared on the show since the very first episode alongside Lemon, initially opposite fellow team captain Fearne Cotton until the latter departed Celebrity Juice in 2018.
“Keith Lemon ... Where to begin...” Willoughby wrote. “I remember starting this journey with you and saying ‘I think this might work’... my goodness me it did... three friends, you me and Fearne Cotton ... and that is what is at the heart of it.. friendship.”
It’s currently unclear who will replace Willoughby on the series going forward (Mel B currently sits as the other team captain), but she wished her successor good luck for the future anyway.
“It’s time for me to hand over my team captain seat to some lucky lucky person,” Willoughby said. “Whoever that is, know you are about to get one of the best jobs in telly working with one of comedy’s finest...
“I love the bones of you Lemon! Thank you for making me laugh for twelve years. I’ll be back as a guest and just to make sure someone is keeping you in check... if I don’t see you through a week or next week or the week after... know you are always in my heart...”
“I’ve had a lovely time working with you. You are the best! I hope I’m lucky enough to work with you again one day,” Lemon wrote on his own Instragam, including a montage of the pair’s onscreen moments.
“If I don’t see ya through the week I’ll see ya through the window. Big hugs.”
Willoughby is still set to appear in ‘lockdown specials’ of Celebrity Juice in the coming weeks, and is expected to depart as a team captain at the end of the current series.
Celebrity Juice continues on Thursdays at 10:00pm on ITV2
