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Amanda Holden series puzzles viewers with new series as Leigh Francis plays ‘nan’ Myrtle

Amanda Holden and Leigh Francis star in the new series (Pictures: Twitter/ @E4Tweets)

Amanda Holden has left fans absolutely baffled by her new series, The Holden Girls: Mandy and Myrtle, as Leigh Francis starred as the singer’s ‘nan’, Myrtle.

The documentary-style series follows Amanda and Myrtle as they try living together, with chaotic results.

The first episode also featured guest appearances from the likes of Ben Shephard and Catherine Tyldsley – but not everyone was impressed.

‘The Holden Girls with Amanda Holden and Leigh Francis is going to make Mrs Brown’s Boys look like f**kin’ Chekov,’ one said.

Another described it as a ‘s**t Mrs Doubtfire with Leigh Francis and Amanda Holden….’

‘I’m sorry but the new show with Amanda Holden and her nan (aka Leigh Francis or Keith Lemon) had to be one of the worst its terrible,’ one more added.

However, others were won over by the bizarre show, with one saying: ‘Absolutely loving #HoldenGirls already, bloody hilarious stuff.’

“Yeah I’ve got a brilliant idea for a show – get Leigh Francis to pretend to be Amanda Holden’s nan. It’s comedy gold, it can’t go wrong. It’s either that or putting James Corden on a deserted island for 60 days, call it Deadly 60? Oh that’s taken. Amanda Holden it is then.” https://t.co/76ZkYdubBv pic.twitter.com/hKC4HetBHn

— Max (@MaxGarfield2003) September 7, 2021

Just watched a bit of that Amanda Holden/Leigh Francis thing… pic.twitter.com/slFABPT3wq

— Donna Rees (@DonnaARees) September 7, 2021

I’m sorry but the new show with Amanda Holden and her nan (aka Leigh Francis or Keith Lemon) had to be one of the worst its terrible

— lucy pritty (@lucypritty1) September 7, 2021

5mins in and already laughing my head off @lemontwittor @AmandaHolden #theholdengirls

— the spark (@sparkloaf26) September 7, 2021

@lemontwittor @AmandaHolden Absolutely loving #HoldenGirls already, bloody hilarious stuff. 🤣 Time for Ep.2! 👵

— LukeSpooksGaming (@LukeSpooks666) September 7, 2021

‘Absolutely howling at @AmandaHolden #theholdengirls,’ one more said.

Others admitted it took them some time to realise that Myrtle was not actually Amanda’s nan, while more compared it to Leigh’s sketch show Bo’ Selecta which aired from 2002 to 2009.

Earlier this year, Bo’ Selecta was pulled from All 4 after Leigh apologised for playing characters in blackface.

Elsewhere, the comedian is known for his work on Celebrity Juice, which Amanda has appeared as a guest on.

Dance for joy! The Holden Girls: Mandy & Myrtle starts tonight (Tuesday) E4 10pm pic.twitter.com/XWbIxmFakU

— Keith Lemon (@lemontwittor) September 7, 2021

However, the show’s future was recently called into question.

Discussing the future of panel shows on ITV2, boss Paul Mortimer said at the Edinburgh TV Festival: ‘They are as old as television if you think about it, we reinvent them, from ‘Shooting Stars’ through to ‘Celebrity Juice’, they’re nothing like the panel show of old.

More: Amanda Holden

‘It’s one of those where the host greets you, you know what you’re going to get, you’re introduced to this week’s panel and at the end of the episode they wave goodbye and it’s, “see you next week”.

‘That’s old grammar, that’s old language. It’s not the way to talk to younger audiences. It also makes closed episodic content like that missable.’

The Holden Girls: Mandy and Myrtle is available on All 4.

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