About this episode

Sir Lenny Henry discusses his career highlights and culinary experiences over a dish of seared scallop & tomato tagliatelle.

Comic Relief! Meeting Prince! Seasoned food! Sir Lenny Henry is a hugely celebrated comedian, actor, writer and broadcaster. He first appeared on our screens in 1975 when, at the age of 16, he made his debut on the talent show New Faces. Over fifty years later, he joins us to talk through some of the choice moments of his career, providing a fantastic taster of his current show, Still At Large. We have some cookery crossover, too, with Lenny famously playing Michelin starred Gareth Blackstock in the ‘90s sitcom, Chef! The part came with hours of training and prep work, cutting parsley and gutting rabbits which, as he explains, helped sharpen his skills as a stand-up. There’s lots of love for Lenny’s mum, a fantastic cook with a natural flair for great home-cooked meals, but less fondness for any food with antennae. From his very first outing as a comic and impressionist to taking on Othello at the age of 50, Lenny relives a number of pivotal milestones in his career over a delicious bowl of seared scallop & tomato tagliatelle. This is accompanied by a glass of Paolo Leo Fiano del Salento, and a couple of great stories about encountering Prince... and then working with him. Still…

Topics covered

• comedy
• cooking
• celebrity interviews
• food culture
• career milestones

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