Sir Lenny Henry says he is 'jealous' of ex-wife Dawn French for a heart-breaking reason
In his latest Channel 4 passion project, Sir Lenny Henry delves into the craft of comedy, interviewing four iconic British comics on the joys and challenges of tickling the public's funny bone. Throughout this four-part series, 'Legends of Comedy,' we'll see sit-downs with Sally Phillips from 'Smack the Pony' and Romesh Ranganathan from 'The Ranganation'.
Lenny confesses that exploring their comedic journeys has rekindled his desire to return to stand-up after a 15-year hiatus. The 66 year old told us, "It made me go, ‘Actually, I really fancy just getting up and doing stand up,’" adding, "It’s made me have lots of thoughts about it. I don’t know if I’d do it because I like acting, but there’s something very lovely about walking on stage on your own with an audience who’s paid money to see you."
Eagerly contemplating a comeback, Lenny isn't shying away from heavier material either. "The best comedians for me are ones who are playing a character or ones who say stuff about their family, their life, their mental health. They’re not scared to say, ‘This is what the world is like for me.’" He expressed admiration for Richard Pryor's unfiltered candour on stage, discussing everything from his mother being a prostitute to his father being a pimp, and how his transparency has inspired Lenny, especially following the revelations in his 2019 book about his true paternity. Lenny, who disclosed that Albert Green, a family acquaintance, was his real father, reflected, "I remember watching him and thinking, ‘I could never do that.’ But since I wrote my book about my dad not being my real dad, I probably could now."
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Lenny Henry has opened up about his envy toward successful comedy duos, including his ex-wife Dawn French's iconic partnership with Jennifer Saunders. He said: “I’ve always wanted to be in a comedy band. I love the idea but I was always just single,” he sighs. “I was really jealous of Dawn [French] and Jen [Saunders], and Harry and Paul. Just so jealous.”
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In Legends of Comedy, Lenny speaks with comedy greats like The Fast Show’s Paul Whitehouse and Alexei Sayle, along with Sally Phillips and Romesh Ranganathan. Although he was already acquainted with most, Lenny relished the opportunity to bond with Sally during her segment. He was impressed: "I’d never really had much time with her, but she was fantastic," and admired her bravery: "She’s very funny and very courageous in terms of what she chooses to do on television and also in real life. She did things that absolutely outgunned those boys and it was really funny to watch her do it."
Romesh Ranganathan, the comic-turned-presenter, has openly shared that he was battling insecurities during his first gig on Live at the Apollo back in 2013, a feeling Lenny Henry knows all too well. "I’m never surprised when a comedian lacks confidence. You pretend that you’re really confident when you’re on, and then when you’re off, you’re kind of worried about everything," Lenny empathised.
Recalling his early days, Lenny admitted, "I was concerned about every aspect of everything I did because I was learning for a long time in my career. I was on Blankety Blank, Wednesday at Eight - and being terrible. It was six years of being not very good and my mum would say, ‘You need to get better. You’ll get better, don’t worry.’” Chatting with Paul, Lenny delved into the theme of humour as one grows older, with both comedians now at the age of 66. Lenny quipped, "I think old people are hilarious," sharing his own comical anecdotes.
"I often go into a room and don’t know why I’ve gone in there. I often can’t get out of the car. I often leave everything behind and have to go back for it. I did a thing at the Royal Albert Hall last week and the whole audience was my age - it was great. It took us ages to get back into the room after the interval. I think we deserve to have our own sense of humour and we deserve to make fun of ourselves. In the end, making fun of yourself and having jokes is how you survive."
Lenny is content to leave behind comedy shows that haven't aged well, such as Little Britain, which includes blackface in some sketches. "Thank God evolution happens and we all get older and go, ‘That was alright then, but it’s not now,’" he shares. "We’ve a much more diverse country now and everybody wants to be included in laughter, not just an elite few. Back in my day, we laughed at nearly everything in my house except when the black and white minstrels came on. It’s only as you get older that you get more mature and more picky about what you like. It’s not about being politically correct, it’s just about your personal taste. It’s alright if you still like Tommy Cooper and the Carry On films, God bless you."
If Comedy Legends does return, Lenny has a few ideas for series two. "If I could get [Australian comic] Hannah Gadsby, that would be good. I saw her live in Edinburgh and she was wonderful," he revealed. "I’d try to get Dave Chappelle to talk about transgression and crossing the line. He goes there and often hasn’t really thought about it - I find that fascinating. And Steve Martin, of course! ".
