Entertainment

Fearne Cotton leaving Celebrity Juice to focus on other projects

The TV star said she will be walking away with ‘so many memories’ as Holly Willoughby and Keith Lemon bid her farewell on social media.
The TV star said she will be walking away with ‘so many memories’ as Holly Willoughby and Keith Lemon bid her farewell on social media. The TV star said she will be walking away with ‘so many memories’ as Holly Willoughby and Keith Lemon bid her farewell on social media.

Fearne Cotton has said she will walk away with “so many memories” after announcing she is leaving Celebrity Juice.

The TV star, who had been a panellist on the ITV2 comedy game show for a decade, is quitting to focus on other projects.

Cotton, 37, tweeted: “After ten years on celebrity juice I am leaving. I walk away with so many incredible memories and will miss everyone in front of and behind the cameras so much.

“So much love and luck to them all for future series.”

Her post came after her best friend and Celebrity Juice co-star Holly Willoughby wrote on Instagram: “I’m going to miss you being on the other side of my banana.”

She posted a picture of herself and Cotton in the midst of one of the programme’s games, with a banana in their mouths between them.

Willoughby added: “Thank you for 10 years of laughter… love you @fearnecotton … we are going to MISS you on @celebjuiceofficial SOOO much xxxx.”

Explaining her decision to leave the show, Cotton told The Sun: “After 10 years of complete fun, I have decided to leave Celebrity Juice.

“It has been a joy to be part of this magnificent show and I wish the team the very best in future series.”

Cotton appeared on 18 out of 20 series, only taking a break in 2013 when she was on maternity leave and was replaced by Kelly Brook.

Leigh Francis, in the guise of his character Keith Lemon, said it was the “end of an era” as he thanked Cotton in an Instagram post.

Alongside a montage of pictures of the pair together, he wrote: “End of an era! Gonna miss @fearnecotton Fanks for the fun times. Love you deeply! Good luck with your next chapter! I hope one day we’ll play again. But the show must go on. Me and Holly and a new captain will be back in March for more @celebjuiceofficial”.

In October, mother-of-two Cotton revealed she was too busy to have a social life.

She told Women’s Health magazine: “I used to see my friends every day but I just can’t fit it in right now.

“If I did I’d be burnt out because my work life is so busy.

“So, I think you do have to lose something. My girlfriends aren’t going anywhere.”