Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy
- TV documentary
- U&Gold
- 2019
- 3 episodes (1 series)
Documentary exploring British comedy representing various diverse races and cultures. Features Lenny Henry, Robert Beckford, Trevor Phillips, Michael Grade, Ayesha Hazarika and more.
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 1 - Sitcom
Further details
Starting with the hugely successful sitcom Love Thy Neighbour, the series looks at some of the well-meaning attempts television made to embrace the changing face of the nation during the 1970s.
The advent of Channel 4 was a key catalyst in bringing diversity to UK homes during the 1980s and into the 90s, with shows such as No Problem!, The Cosby Show and Desmond's.
The film concludes with a look at the influence diversity and multiculturalism has had on society on comedy through shows such as PhoneShop, People Just Do Nothing and Chewing Gum.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Tuesday 15th October 2019
- Time
- 9pm
- Channel
- U&Gold
- Length
- 60 minutes
Cast & crew
| Lenny Henry | Host / Presenter |
| Robert Beckford | Self |
| Trevor Phillips | Self |
| Michael Grade (as Lord Michael Grade) | Self |
| Ayesha Hazarika | Self |
| Ellis Cashmore | Self |
| Llewella Gideon | Self |
| Angie Le Mar | Self |
| Roxy Sternberg | Self |
| Gina Yashere | Self |
| Terry Jervis | Self |
| Paul Chowdhry | Self |
| Shazia Mirza | Self |
| Charlie Hanson | Self |
| Tameka Empson | Self |
| Vas Blackwood | Self |
| Anil Gupta | Self |
| Javone Prince | Self |
| Humphrey Barclay | Self |
| Chris Tummings | Self |
| Nina Baden-Semper | Self |
| Curtis Walker | Self |
| Judith Jacob | Self |
| Trix Worrell | Self |
| Carmen Munroe | Self |
| Joseph Marcell | Self |
| Oliver Samuels | Self |
| Marina Warsama | Series Director |
| Carlton Dixon | Series Producer |
| Lenny Henry | Executive Producer |
| Angela Ferreira | Executive Producer |
| Iain Coyle | Executive Producer |
| Shabazz Graham | Editor |
| Derek Kersting | Editor |
| Ian Watts | Director of Photography |
| Kelvin Richard | Director of Photography |
| Conor Connolly | Director of Photography |
Press
Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy review
Henry revisits half a century of multicultural sitcoms, from the good to the bad and the truly stomach-churning.
The Guardian, 16th October 2019TV review: Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy - Sitcoms
Lenny Henry is definitely the best person to front this examination of race in television comedy.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 16th October 2019Lenny Henry has experienced the marginalised and often-forgotten role of people of colour throughout his lengthy career. In this series, he examines Britain's history of multicultural comedy, beginning with sitcoms. Taking aim at Spike Milligan's deeply offensive 1969 blackface show Curry & Chips, Henry goes on to show how representation slowly increased to include his own show The Fosters before ending with Michaela Coel's recent hit, Chewing Gum.
Ammar Kalia, The Guardian, 15th October 2019Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy review
A flabbergasting look at our cultural climate 50 years ago.
Adam Sweeting, i Newspaper, 15th October 2019Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy review
An illuminating account of TV's struggle to become multicultural.
Adam Sweeting, The Arts Desk, 15th October 2019