LEMON’S KEYHOLE RUNS OUT OF LOCK Keith’s snoop show ditched

THROUGH The Keyhole has been axed by ITV.

Top bosses have pulled the plug on the game show after six series.

An ITV insider said: “Since last year’s series, there have been discussions over the future of Through The Keyhole and now it’s been decided to ditch it. “The show lasted for a while – almost seven years. But ITV are keen to focus on other ideas. The Masked Singer has proved new formats can work.”

The move marks the end of the show’s fourth incarnation on TV. Between 1987 and 2004 it had stints on ITV, BBC and Sky One.

ITV then revived the format in 2013 with a glitzy new look and hired Keith Lemon as host.

It was a hit and pulled in more than five million viewers. Producers convinced a string of big names to let cameras into their homes including Dennis Rodman, Pamela Anderson and Vinnie Jones. But within just a few years viewers started to lose interest and ratings fell below two million.

The insider said: “Through The Keyhole was given a plum spot in the Saturday night schedule. And at first it really delivered. “But it’s a night when competition between the TV channels is tough and after a while it started to flop.

“It’s had a good run, but ITV chiefs reckon that other formats will be cheaper to make and pull in bigger ratings.”

Keith is set to continue working with ITV on panel show Celebrity

Juice. But bosses fear the character of Keith, played by Leigh Francis, is no longer quite as popular with viewers.

One source said: “Keith’s lewd humour is a bit out of sync with the way TV is evolving. Viewers aren’t lapping it up like they used to.”

ITV executives have axed a string of family shows in recent weeks.

Dating series Take Me Out and Jason Manford’s game show What Would Your Kid Do? have both been scrapped.

Plans to bring back The X Factor have been canned, too.