Chris Lilley’s surprise career change four years after controversial shows removed from Netflix

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Australian comedian Chris Lilley appears to have traded in his old job for a new life in the wild, focusing on nature and wildlife rather than sketch characters.

Known for his hit 2007 mockumentary sitcom Summer Heights High, Lilley, 50, has stayed out of the spotlight over the past few years, with no new TV projects in the pipeline after Netflix removed several of his shows in 2020 amid controversy over the depiction of certain characters.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Chis Lilley comes face-to-face with a kangaroo.

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Instead, he’s embarked on a career as a YouTuber, showcasing his wildlife encounters across Australia in a series called Lilley In The Wild.

Clearly inspired by Aussie wildlife icons such as Robert Irwin, Lilley has spent the past six months documenting his travels and interactions with native animals.

His videos capture various moments with wild wombats in Tasmania and the vibrant marine life along the Ningaloo Coast, among other animal encounters.

Chris Lilley has a new wildlife YouTube show.

Most recently he is seen getting up close and personal with some kangaroos, while another shows him swimming with grey nurse sharks.

Lilley’s shift to nature comes after his brand of humour faced a huge backlash a few years ago as societal attitudes shifted.

In 2020, Netflix removed four of his shows — Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, We Can Be Heroes, and Jonah from Tonga — for content that included blackface, sparking controversy around his portrayals of various ethnic characters.

Comedian Chris Lilley responded to the backlash surrounding his character Jonah from Tonga.

In a 2011 interview with Vulture, Lilley defended his choice to portray characters from diverse backgrounds, including rapper S.Mouse from Angry Boys, a role that later sparked viral criticism.

“I wanted to do it because I thought it was a challenging, new, interesting idea, and mostly I just thought it was a really funny character,” he said.

“It’s kind of funny that there’s only certain races that it’s an issue ... I think it’s a bit stupid that you would shut yourself off to being able to do that.”

Despite the removals, Lilley holds no apparent grudge against Netflix, clarifying to Unilad in March 2023 that his show Lunatics remained widely available and popular on the platform.

“Netflix and I still have a great relationship. They really back Lunatics, and it still does really well on that network,” he said.

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