&c1=usa&c2=(none)&c3=guardian.co.uk&c4=ITV,Television+industry+(Media),Media&c5=&c6=Leigh+Holmwood&c7=2007_11_30){kind=small}
- guardian.co.uk,
- Friday November 30 2007 14:15 GMT
Bo' Selecta comedian Leigh Francis is to front a new comedy travel show for ITV2 in which he will visit different countries as character Keith Lemon to discover new cultures.
Keith Lemon's Gap Year, made by Bellyache Productions, is one of the highlights of the digital channel's winter 2008 season, which also includes the second series of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, as revealed by MediaGuardian.co.uk yesterday.
Francis, best known for his mad-cap characters on Channel 4's Bo' Selecta, will travel to countries such as Japan and the US where Lemon will meet celebrities such as Sharon Osbourne and Spice Girl Mel B as well as learning new skills.
Another new comedy, the Avalon-produced eight-part series Laura, Ben and Him, will feature "extraordinary characters and silly sketches" by Perrier award winner Laura Solon, Perrier best newcomer award winner Ben Willbond and Hyperdrive's Marek Larwood.
Laura, Ben and Him is produced by former ITV comedy controller Sioned Wiliam and executive produced by for Avalon Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner.
Further bolstering its comedy credentials, ITV2 has also ordered a second series of sketch show Katy Brand's Big Ass Show.
Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney's fiancee Coleen McLoughlin will front new factual entertainment series Coleen's Real Women, made by Initial, in which she looks for women to win eight high-profile modelling assignments.
The channel has also ordered further shows featuring glamour model Katie Price and her pop-star husband Peter Andre following the success of their reality TV series and chatshow.
Katie and Peter - The Documentary will see cameras following the couple's everyday lives, while Katie or Bust will follow the model known as Jordan as she has her breasts reduced.
ITV2 will also screen new US dramas Bionic Woman, starring former EastEnders actor Michelle Ryan, and Gossip Girl, from OC creator Josh Schwartz.
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
