Lenny first took to the screens on the talent show New Faces, winning the show after impressing judges with his comic impressions of Stevie Wonder. His next big break saw him act in the sitcom Fosters, a show which pioneered the world of black comedy hosting a cast of predominantly black performers. Through such performances Lenny established a reputation as a trailblazer for diversity and inclusion, working through a time period where black performers were a minority in a white saturated industry.
Lenny continued to perform, continually gaining the respect and love of viewers countrywide. After establishing a name on the comedic circuit, Lenny was given his own show in 1984- The Lenny Henry Show. Running for 19 years, The Lenny Henry Show entertained viewers with impressions of famed celebrities such as Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Another show opportunity was given to Lenny, this time titled Lenny Henry in Pieces, entertaining the public with his character-based comedy sketches.
With a distinctive and recognisable voice, Lenny has continually been sought to voice countless characters across British television. In 2004 he was selected to voice Dre Head in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He was later requested to voice children’s television characters, such as Sporty in Little Robots and Big and Small in the Cbeebies programme Big and Small. Lenny has also become a recognisable figure with the hotel chain Premier Inn, voicing and featuring in countless promotional material for the company.
Lenny has also dedicated much of his career to philanthropic causes. Most notably, Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief. His devotion to entertainment has frequently been recognised throughout his career, receiving countless awards. In 1999 Lenny was bestowed with the honour of CBE in the 1999 New Year Honours and later Knighted in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours for his commitment to both charity and drama. Lenny has also been ranked in 4th position on the 100 Most Influential Black Britons list, recognised as the 15th Funniest Black Performer of All Time by The Sunday Times and noticed in the 50 Funniest Acts in British Comedy by The Observer. 2016 was a prominent year for Lenny, being awarded the BAFTA Television Special Award, an Honorary Degree from Nottingham Trent University and he was appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Television Society.
Personable and entertaining, Lenny has built a plethora of anecdotes to inspire others to pursue a career in comedy. An advocate for the inclusion of people from BAME backgrounds, Lenny has openly criticised how there is a lack of ethnically diverse individuals on British TV and is pioneering change to see a more diverse entertainment industry. As a speaker Lenny pushes the importance of diversity, discussing his own experiences of the creative sector and the challenges he has overcome to reach where he is today.
