Outstanding Achievement Award Interview: Sir Lenny Henry | Edinburgh TV Festival

This year, the Festival’s Outstanding Achievement Award is proudly presented to Sir Lenny Henry — comedian, actor, writer, producer, national icon, and all-round legend with a career so vast it’s practically its own genre. From his teenage debut on New Faces (wearing a suit several sizes too big and a grin even bigger), to becoming one of the most recognisable and beloved figures in British entertainment, Sir Lenny has been making us laugh, think and cheer for five brilliant decades. Whether splattered with custard on Tiswas, side-eyeing sketch partners in Three of a Kind, or commanding the screen in The Rings of Power, Broadchurch, Chef! and The Witcher: Blood Origin, he’s always done it with style, substance, and a wicked sense of humour. Knighted in 2015 for services to drama and charity, Sir Lenny’s genius isn’t just in the performance, it’s in the purpose. Through his production company Esmerelda, he’s championed new voices and told stories that matter. As co-founder of Comic Relief, he’s helped raise over £1 billion (and worn more red noses than most of us have hot dinners). And with the Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University, he continues to create space for others to shine. This award celebrates not just his immense talent, but the joy, heart and trailblazing spirit that make Sir Lenny Henry utterly, gloriously one of a kind. session producer: Ethan Andrews Subscribe for more: http://bit.ly/EdFestSub Find out more here: https://bit.ly/1SiJFQb #EdTVFest