Lenny Henry On Comedy, Dramatic Acting & Returning To Stand-Up
What did Eddie Murphy say to Lenny Henry?
In this Monday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by the legendary comedian, actor, and writer, Sir Lenny Henry.
The pair look back at Lenny’s incredible career, from his early stand-up and TV shows, to his latest projects. They discuss racism, realities of working in the entertainment industry, and the pressure that comes with a long career.
Lenny talks about his return to stand-up with his new tour, Lenny Henry: Still at Large, and his new BBC show,The Split Up (available on BBC iPlayer now).
Plus, they deep dive into the world of being a stand-up comedian, inspirations, and how it's changed over the years.
Elsewhere, Romesh and Lenny get into self-care, manscaping, and some questionable fashion choices, and Lenny opens up about death, grief, and some of the lessons he’s learned throughout his life. Plus, Shanthi has a bone to pick with Romesh...
A fascinating conversation about comedy, careers, ageing, loss, and what it takes to keep going.
A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media.
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
03:46 When Lenny and Romesh met
05:20 A gift for Lenny
08:34 Lenny’s career
13:53 On True Identity
17:30 On chef and career mentality
18:54 The challenges of the industry
20:44 Lenny reads Romesh
22:45 Self-care and manscaping
25:20 Fashion faux pas
29:29 The upcoming tour and being on stage
40:06 A question from Shanthi on impressions
43:54 The Split Up
29:38 Misquoted
57:11 On death and grief
58:45 Some advice from Lenny
59:59 Outro
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The Romesh Ranganathan Show
The world’s biggest stars join Romesh for candid conversations and loads of laughs. Every Monday, Romesh Ranganathan meets actors, musicians, comedians and icons who share stories you won’t hear anywhere else, combining humour, heart and genuine insight. Expect backstage anecdotes, untold tales from the spotlight, and extraordinary insight into what makes them tick. On Thursdays, Rom’s mum Shanthi joins the show to share family stories, answer audience questions, and offer her no-nonsense take on life, proving that the funniest and most relatable conversations often happen around the kitchen table. Leave a voice note for Romesh and Shanthi by messaging +447731623355, @theromeshshow on Instagram, or emailing [email protected]. A Ranga Bee Production in Partnership with Listen.
- No. of episodes: 106
- Latest episode: 2026-09-27
- Comedy Society & Culture
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