Keith Lemon takes aim at Caitlyn Jenner in new sketch show
Keith Lemon has mocked reality star Caitlyn Jenner in his new sketch show.
The Keith Lemon Sketch Show, which first launched last year, has a regular sketch making light of the Kardashian family and reality TV, titled the ‘Big Fat Gypsy Kardashians’.
However, the second season of the show – set to air next week – deals with former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner’s transition to female.
The skit features the Kardashians sisters all played by bearded men – while Jenner is undergoing plastic surgery.
Lemon’s Kim Kardashian recalls: “The Kardashians are in turmoil at the moment because our stepfather Bruce has made a shocking announcement.”
A man playing Jenner wearing clingfilm on his face, says: “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. All I said is, even though I’m in the best condition I’ve been in for years, I’ve decided to become a woman. A beautiful woman.”
The Kardashians are seen complaining that Jenner is “mutilating” her body – while undergoing extensive cosmetic treatments themselves.
The Keith Lemon Sketch Show starts Thursday 4th Feb at 10pm and there’s another Kardashian to keep up with… Welcome Caitlyn Jenner! Kim Kardashian West Khloe Kardashian Kourtney Kardashian Kris Jenner
Posted by ITV2 on Wednesday, January 20, 2016
However, after her transition, Jenner is played by former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts.
She says: “Hello everybody! I used to be Bruce, but now my name is Caitlyn, and I’m in the best goddamn shape I’ve been in for years.”
ITV2 is heavily promoting the skit on Facebook ahead of the show’s return – pushing it into people’s newsfeeds as a ‘sponsored’ post.
Not everyone is happy seeing the video pop up in their feeds, however.
One user wrote: “Wow I do love my self some casual transphobia, presented in a manner of an ignorant school child.”
Another said: “Just watching that video has robbed me of my ability to laugh or even smile weakly. It has the same effect on your sense of humour that drinking battery acid has to your sense of taste.”
Leigh Francis, who plays Lemon, told BANG Showbiz previously he wanted the skit to be respectful.
He said: “The producer originally didn’t want to go there because he thought the transgender community would give us a hard time on Twitter and we want to entertain people, we don’t want to offend people.
“But I feel it’s offensive not to deal with it and I said, ‘I know people who watch the sketch show will expect us to do something with Bruce Jenner’.”
Comedian Ricky Gervais previously hit out at critics after mocking Caitlyn Jenner during his Golden Globes routine.
He insisted he was not mocking her transition, instead claiming to be “transportphobic” – referencing Jenner’s involvement in a fatal car crash.
