The Lenny Henry Birthday Show. Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry

  • 65 years old
  • English
  • Actor, writer and stand-up comedian

Press clippings Page 29

The build-up has been going on for weeks with everything from a "rude road trip" by the stars of The Inbetweeners to Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton's daring Battersea Power Station highwire act, and a gruelling challenge that saw nine stars trek for five days across the Kaisut desert in Kenya. So, what can top that as the bi-annual charity fundraiser takes over the airwaves tonight?

Well, with a presentation team that includes Michael McIntyre, Lenny Henry, Graham Norton, Fearne Cotton, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Bridges, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, James Corden and Jack Dee there are certainly lots of laughs in prospect. There's a host of one-off sketches to look forward to from Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan, Armstrong & Miller and the cast of Outnumbered. There are also Comic Relief spin-offs of MasterChef and The Choir, and special outings for Doctor Who and EastEnders.

As well as all that, there are performances from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including George Michael and Boyzone, and reminders why it's all happening, with reports on how the money raised in previous years has benefited the underprivileged in Africa and here in the UK. Of course, amid all the chaos, everybody's eyes will be fixed on the cash counter clocking up every pound raised by volunteers and fundraisers. In 2009 Comic Relief raised £80 million.

Gerard O'Donovan, The Telegraph, 17th March 2011

Lenny Henry: 'People steal cutouts of me from hotels'

Stand-up Lenny Henry on single-mindedness, speaking in tongues and black faces at the BBC.

Elizabeth Day, The Observer, 23rd January 2011

Lenny Henry interview

Certainties have been lacking in Lenny Henry's life. But, on the eve of a new tour, he tells Rob Sharp that he'll always have stand-up.

Rob Sharp, The Independent, 17th January 2011

Lenny Henry is to stay in £29 inns

Millionaire Lenny Henry will spend five months living in £29 hotel rooms - because of his TV ads deal.

Colin Robertson, The Sun, 12th January 2011

Critic's comedy choice 2011: Lenny Henry on tour

The comedian's latest show, Cradle to Rave, is autobiographical - and a bold departure from previous work.

Brian Logan, The Guardian, 3rd January 2011

Q&A: Lenny Henry

Who'd play me in a film of my life? Trevor McDonald.

Rosanna Greenstreet, The Guardian, 4th December 2010

Lenny Henry interview

After a painful - yet astonishingly friendly - divorce, Lenny Henry is smiling again. But when did the problems begin?

Chrissy Iley, The Telegraph, 30th November 2010

Video: Lenny Henry returns to stand-up

The energetic comic, Lenny Henry tells BBC Breakfast about returning to the stage in his life story "Cradle to Rave", mixing humour with his life-long love of music.

Lenny's tour begins in January and he'll also host the new BBC magic show "The Magicians" later in the New Year.

BBC News, 29th November 2010

The stand-up show has reached its sixth series and kicks off with some trusty names. Mock the Week regular Sean Lock is the host and dishes out gags about the perils of people wanting to try on your glasses and - that old topic that just about anyone can relate to - having children. He introduces Liverpudlian John Bishop, whose own comedy series was shown on BBC One in the summer. Over the following five episodes we can expect to see Dara O Briain, Lenny Henry, Jon Richardson and Shappi Khorsandi among those taking the stage.

Catherine Gee, The Telegraph, 24th November 2010

Dawn French in new relationship

Comic Dawn French has revealed she is in her first steady relationship since divorcing Lenny Henry.

The Sun, 17th November 2010

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