Sir Lenny Henry tells Black actors and producers to keep pushing for change in the TV industry, while at the Powerlist 2025 awards.
Britain’s well-loved comedian, actor and writer is passionate about improving diversity on screen, having set up the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity in 2020.
After four years of its running, Lenny says he’s happy with the improvement in media representation so far, but he also remarks that the journey is still a work in progress.
He said: "We do need to keep pushing… but there has been a change.
"We’ve seen the dial of the conversation move a little bit because people have put the pressure on.
"You don't stop putting the pressure on just because Lennie James gets to star in Mr Loverman.
"You keep putting the pressure on because that's like A, and we want to get to Z with this."
Lenny Henry’s TV show Three Little Birds, which is based on his mother’s Windrush experience, was axed by ITV this year after only one season. A series that had one of the most diverse group of people working both on and off the screen.
Lenny encouraged people in the film and TV industry to keep striving on for change and to not get complacent.
"It's a thing of sustained pressure, not in a kind of overly aggressive way but in the way of ‘Come on, do this.’ You know it's right, it's the right thing to do. So let’s keep the pressure up.
"Keep the conversation open with the people in power. If the gatekeepers don’t look like us we’re never going to get change, so change the gatekeepers, mix it up a bit and let us be in the conversation. In the end, if they don’t let us do that, let's make our own conversation, let's do it anyway."
While speaking at the Powerlist 2025 awards show, he also commented on the importance of celebrating the success of Africans and Caribbeans in the UK.
The Powerlist celebrates a list of the 100 most influential Black people from the UK and offers role models to youngsters who may lack representation in the media.
Lenny said: "I think it's wonderful to celebrate black excellence. I think it’s wonderful to see all these people here in their finery enjoying being the best at what they do and its an incredible honour to be included in that pantheon."
He continued: "In terms of Black History Month I think it's wonderful. Personally I’m Black all year round so there should be one of these every week as far as I’m concerned.
"People want to be seen, they need to be seen, so if you’re seen to be successful and you've worked really hard all year and you’ve done all the things you’ve set out to do then it's nice to have a party to celebrate, why shouldn’t you?"
English (US) ·