Hello, lovely website visitor. Welcome to the events page.
I was meant to be filming at the moment, but because of COVID-19 I've had a 12-week lockdown with my wife Lisa and my mother-in-law where we have been exploring baking, cooking, and hoovering. I actually now know how to make a bed properly with hospital corners. And I have grown a beard that goes all the way down my neck and virtually into my chest and nether regions. Those have been the events of the last few months.
I'm also working on a new stand-up set. I have been a stand-up comedian since I was 16, and part of my life has always been reacting to things that are going on around me. So it would be crazy not to be thinking about what's happening at the moment and forming some thoughts.
There will be things coming, and as soon as we know them, we will tell you. But until theatres and gigs reopen, there's no point really having this events page. It is like a chocolate fire guard.
Watch this space. Honest. There will be gigs. There will be a follow-up book tour. The paperback of Who Am I, Again? will be released. There will be more stage work. We just don't know what the hell it is yet.
THERE WILL BE EVENTS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE YET.
The day has finally arrived!!
I’m thrilled that my new children’s book ‘The Book of Legends’ is out today and I couldn't be prouder - join Bran and Fran on the quest of a lifetime full of magic, jokes and adventure! With incredible illustrations by Keenon Ferrell.
You can order here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-book-of-legends/lenny-henry/2928377114725
Lenny's second memoir 'Rising To The Surface' is out now! Please see below some of the great interviews he has done recently about the memoir.
Lenny was interviewed by Clive Anderson on this weekend's episode of BBC Radio 4, Loose Ends. He was joined by Julia Donaldson, Vince Cable and Patrick Gale for an electric mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Allison Russell and Kitti. Episode can be listened here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001bymg
Lenny was interviewed by Chris Evans on his breakfast Show on Virgin Radio: https://virginradio.co.uk/the-chris-evans-breakfast-show-with-sky/74712/sir-lenny-henry-recalls-the-moment-when-he-realised-his-life-had-changed
Lenny was interviewed on the green sofa by Alex Jones and Ronan Keating on the day of the book publication date. The episode can be watched here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bn7q
Zoe Ball interviewed Lenny on the morning of book publication, full interview can be listened here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001b9z9
World Book Day has announced its list of 15 books, including Lenny Henry, to be made available for free with a £1 book token on World Book Day 2023 (2nd March).
Sir Lenny Henry commented: "I am really chuffed to be part of the line-up of £1 World Book Day 2023 authors and illustrators with my book. It is such an honour to be on the list. Reading is such an amazing thing to do, it opens imaginations wide and takes us all off on new adventures. I wholeheartedly support World Book Day’s commitment to encouraging more children to read, and championing the diversity of children’s literature on offer in the UK and Ireland today."
About The Boy With Wings: Attack of the Rampaging Robot
An Ordinary Kid on an Extraordinary Adventure
Tunde Wilkinson is an ordinary kid.
He has awesome friends, sometimes embarrassing parents and needs to be careful his wings don't get in the way on the football pitch.
Wait ... wings?
Oh yeah, Tunde is also a secret superhero.
When a new kid starts at his school and is better than him at everything, not even Tunde's friends seem on his side. Does this new kid have a connection to the shady Facility? And can Tunde figure it all out before an evil robot destroys their town?
Book Available for pre-order now - https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-boy-with-wings-attack-of-the-rampaging-robot-world-book-day-2023/lenny-henry/keenon-ferrell/9781035015924
The Book of Legends Book Cover Revealed!
Woo hoo! Check out the cover of my new children's book, The Book of Legends. Big thanks to Keenon Ferrell for the illustrations. I loved writing it and hope you love reading it.
The Book of Legends is coming out 13 October, find out more here https://bit.ly/3TRWrMD
Mail on Sunday publish a great four star review of Lenny's memoir 'Rising To The Surface' which is out now!
'Rising To The Surface' is available to order here: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571368778-rising-to-the-surface/
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Reviews Are Out!
Five Stars
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review: Amazon show is a 'masterpiece'
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/lord-rings-rings-power-review-27876822
Four Stars
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review – so astounding it makes House of the Dragon look amateur”
Four Stars
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Review
https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power/
Lenny attends The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power World Premiere on Tuesday 30 August in London.
Lenny stars as Sadoc Burrows in the brand new The Lord Of The Rings Amazon series which is released worldwide on 1 September.
New full trailer for The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8UAUAuKNcU
Lenny Henry will be one of the hosts of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony tomorrow night. The Opening Ceremony will show the best of Birmingham’s creative minds and best-loved talent, opening the Games with spectacle and emotion.
Earlier today Comic Relief founder Sir Lenny Henry carried the prestigious Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton as part of its 90,000-mile journey around all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
Sir Lenny ran with the Baton through Birmingham, the host city of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games this summer. His journey through Victoria Square toward the end of its 294-day journey on the eve of the highly anticipated Commonwealth Games kicking off. The Queen’s Baton Relay will come to a close the tomorrow at the Opening Ceremony.
Sir Lenny was invited to be a Batonbearer to celebrate Sport Relief being an official charity partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Comic Relief launched the first ever Sport Relief 20 years ago and thanks to the great British public, has raised an incredible £419million so far to help change lives in the UK and around the world.
Sir Lenny said: “The chance to carry (via jogging and walking!) the Queen’s Baton on the final leg of its journey fills me with massive pride, especially when I think of how far it’s travelled over the past nine months.”
He added: “It has crossed land, sea and air to cover every corner of the Commonwealth, including my parent’s home of Jamaica, and all the way to Birmingham City Centre (just down the road from Dudley where I got my first humungous break); and carried all the way by inspirational individuals whose stories have blown me away. Hats off to everyone who has taken part!”
Sport Relief is an official charity partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, alongside United By 2022 and the Commonwealth Sport Foundation, and hopes to raise money this summer to help change lives for the better. Money raised will go towards important causes including tackling inequality, improving mental health and helping young people survive and thrive.
The Prince of Wales will deliver a speech during the Opening Ceremony, taking place at the newly redeveloped Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, during which His Royal Highness will read The Queen’s message for the Commonwealth Games. The Queen’s message was placed into the Commonwealth Games Baton by her Majesty on October 7 2021 at Buckingham Palace. The Games will be the biggest sporting event to be held in the UK since London 2012, and will see athletes from across the Commonwealth compete in 19 sports and eight Para-sports.
To find out how you can get involved in Sport Relief this summer, visit: comicrelief.com/sportrelief
I'll be signing copies of my new book The Boy With Wings which is illustrated by Keenon Ferrell at Waterstones Birmingham High Street on Saturday 30th Oct at 12.30pm.
Tickets are £10 and include a copy of The Boy With Wings (RRP £12.99), for more information click here
Copyright © Lenny Henry All Rights Reserved