Lenny henry characters

Biography of Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry is an English actor, writer, comedian, and television presenter. He was born in Dudley, England, to Jamaican immigrant parents. After graduating from school in the Dudley area, he attended W.R. Tuson College.

In 1975, Lenny signed a contract with his first manager, Robert Luff. This contract allowed him to perform in one of Luff's projects, 'The Black and White Minstrel Show'. However, Lenny later expressed regret about his involvement in the show, stating that he was forced to perform due to the contract.

Lenny made his first television appearance on the talent show 'New Faces' in 1975, where he won with his parody of Stevie Wonder. The following year, he landed a role in the British series 'The Fosters', which featured primarily black actors, alongside Norman Beaton.

In 1980, Lenny spent a summer season in Blackpool, working with the comedy duo 'Cannon and Ball'. It was during this time that he experienced significant recognition and response from his audience.

From 1978 to 1981, Lenny hosted the children's program 'Tiswas' and wrote scripts for the comedy project 'Three of a Kind'. In 1984, his own show, 'The Lenny Henry Show', aired on the BBC. The show primarily consisted of stand-up routines and his famous celebrity parodies, including characters he created during his time in Blackpool.

Throughout the 1990s, Lenny continued to work in television, starring as the hot-tempered chef Gareth Blackstock in the comedy series 'Chef!'. In 1996, he produced the television series 'Neverwhere' in collaboration with Neil Gaiman.

Lenny also explored singing during this time, particularly in the soul genre. He contributed to Kate Bush's album 'The Red Shoes' and performed with David Gilmour from 'Pink Floyd' at a charity concert for Amnesty International. However, he ultimately decided to return to comedy, as he believed his future did not lie in the music industry.

In 2003, Lenny was named one of the 50 funniest people in British comedy by 'The Observer'. The following year, 'The Sunday Times' ranked him 15th in their list of the greatest black comedians of all time.

Together with his former wife, comedian Dawn French, Lenny actively works for the charity organization 'Comic Relief'. He has participated in various charity comedy events on behalf of the foundation. Lenny has also appeared in advertisements, promoting New Zealand dairy products and endorsing muesli and non-alcoholic lager in the UK, often portraying one of his well-known characters, Theophilus P. Wildebeeste.