Francis: 'Craig David wishes I was dead'

Leigh Francis has claimed that he kept Craig David's name alive when the R'n'B star "f***ed off" to the US.

The comedian regularly mocked David on his TV show Bo' Selecta! giving him a heavy Yorkshire accent, an oversized chin and a kestrel named Kes.

However, he denied that he was responsible for ruining the singer's image, blaming his declining success on his decision to leave for the US when he became famous.

He told Metro: "[Craig] wishes I was dead. I f**king hate it when he blames me for what's happened to him - I've got nothing to do with his career. If his music career hasn't worked, it's his fault, not mine.

"He was slagging me off all last Christmas. He said that I bumped into him, said sorry for affecting his career and that he'd called me two-faced. That's absolute bulls**t. That's why I've started doing him again [in my comedy].

"When he went to the US after he f**ked Britain off, I kept his name alive."

Francis previously hit back at criticism from the singer last weekend.

> How has Bo' Selecta! affected your estimation of Craig David?