14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Inside Lenny Henry's life including 25-year marriage to Dawn French and his real name
Sir Lenny Henry has had an incredible career in showbiz, and has seen him star in some of the UK's most popular TV shows, as well as co-founding Comic Relief
Sir Lenny Henry has been a staple on our telly for years, having built an impressive career as a comedian, writer, and actor.
The 66 year old is perhaps best known for his role in The Lenny Henry Show, as well as co-founding Comic Relief with Richard Curtis, which led to the launch of Red Nose Day.
Here, we explore the comedian's life, from his diverse career to his marriage to Dawn French....
Lenny Henry's childhood
Lenny was born in Dudley in August 1958 to parents Winston and Winifred. His full name is Lenworth George Henry, and he was named after the doctor who delivered him at Burton Road Hospital.
He is the fifth of seven children and was the first child of the family to be born in the UK. Lenny eventually discovered his biological father to be a man named Albert Augustus Green, known as Bertie, with whom his mother had a brief relationship when she first arrived in England from Jamaica, reports Surrey Live.
Lenny attended St John's Primary School and The Blue Coat School in Dudley before continuing his studies at W. R. Tuson College in Preston.
Lenny Henry's career
Lenny's career began with stand-up performances in working men's clubs, with his first television appearance on the New Faces talent show in 1975, where he wowed audiences with his remarkable impersonations.
He later joined The Comic Strip and BBC Radio 1, continuing to make regular appearances on television. The Lenny Henry Show made its debut on the BBC in 1984 and ran for an impressive 19 years.
In 1985, Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief alongside Richard Curtis, with the inaugural Red Nose Day taking place three years later.
Over the years, Lenny has featured in TV programmes such as The Syndicate and Doctor, lent his voice to characters in children's TV show Big and Small, and participated in game shows like The Masked Singer.
Away from the small screen, he's penned two autobiographies and a pair of young adult fantasy novels, co-produced the blues album New Millennium Blues, and starred in theatre productions.
Lenny Henry's marriage to Dawn French
Lenny crossed paths with Dawn in 1980 when they were both part of the comedy show Comic Strip.
The couple exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony in London's Covent Garden in 1984, followed by a lavish reception.
In 1991, Lenny and Dawn adopted their daughter Billie when she was just two weeks old. Now 34, Billie prefers to stay away from the limelight.
In 2010, Dawn and Lenny made public their decision to separate. They released a joint statement explaining that the split was amicable, with a mutual intention to remain close friends and prioritise co-parenting their daughter.
Over the years, the pair have spoken highly of one another in interviews and have indeed maintained a strong friendship.
In a 2016 interview with the Daily Express, Lenny shed light on the reasons behind their separation. He reflected: "There's generally a situation where one partner wants the marriage to finish more than the other.
"I think maybe one of us did, then the other one did, and then the other did over a period of time, and then, in the end, we thought, 'Oh, actually maybe we both do'. We knew it wasn't possible to continue."
Lenny Henry's marriage to Lisa Makin
Lenny has since moved on and found love again in a long-term relationship. In 2012, he began dating casting director and theatre producer Lisa Makin.
Lisa's work in the entertainment industry is notable, with credits on IMDb for miniseries such as Peaches, Mine All Mine, Aberfan: The Untold Story, among others.
Although Lenny and Lisa often attend red carpet events together, they generally keep their relationship private. Meanwhile, Lenny's ex-wife Dawn has since married therapist Mark Bignell.
