SIR LENNY LOOKS AT FIVE DECADES OF COLOUR IN COMEDY
SIR Lenny Henry is the most recognisable comedian of colour in the UK. Starting out when he won the talent show New Faces in 1975, Sir Lenny has been performing in sitcoms, stand-up and sketches for over 40 years.
During that time he has seen vast changes in the representation of race on screen – from full blown racism slowly towards diversity.
In this series, the comedian will look at sitcoms, stand-up and sketch comedy over the years, telling the story of colour in comedy over five decades.
“I’m going to be celebrating the rich, unsung history of multicultural comedy,” he says.
It’s a fascinating, often shocking reminder of our recent history, with contributions from comedy greats including Meera Syal, Paul Whitehouse, Gina Yashere, Stephen K Amos, Javone Prince and Richard Curtis.
In this first instalment, sitcoms come under the spotlight, with some early ones from the 1960s entering the hall of shame.
It was only in 1976, when Lenny starred in Britain’s first all-black sitcom, The Fosters, that he felt there were “baby steps towards diversity”.
There is a look at some of the well-meaning attempts to embrace the changing face of the nation, often doing more harm than good.
Channel 4 is also given credit for its part in bringing diversity into UK homes during the 1980s and 90s, with sitcoms including Desmonds.
It’s ultimately a heartwarming reminder of how far we’ve come.
Lenny says: “It’s been a real roller coaster to get where we are today. Congratulations to all the trailblazers, keep going.”