Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain explores the host’s own heritage and the strong influence that Caribbean culture has had on British life.
In the mid-20th century, migration from the Caribbean to the UK increased, and as the Caribbean community grew more established in the UK, their cultural contributions also took shape.
The two-part series will feature famous faces who will share their experiences of Caribbean culture in the UK.
What is Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain about?
In the first episode, Henry explores the history of Caribbean migration, focusing on the post Second World War arrivals to Britain, and what these migrants brought to British culture.
He will discuss the Caribbean musical styles of calypso and ska, as well as influences on theatre and art.
Additionally, Henry will reflect on his own childhood experiences as a Black British person in the 1960s and ‘70s.
He will talk about his mother’s desire for him to integrate into British society, and whether that means he must lose his own Caribbean identity to fit in, or if it is possible to share cultures without losing your own.
In the second episode, Henry will dive into the experience of other second and third generation British-born Caribbean children and how the arts became a vital part of expressing their identity.
He will see how many parts of Caribbean culture have now become mainstream in Britain, and how this has enriched the nation.
Who is Lenny Henry?
Lenny Henry is a British comedian and TV presenter who is best known for founding the charity Comic Relief with script writer Richard Curtis.
Henry was born in Dudley, a town in the West Midlands that is overwhelmingly white, to first generation parents who had migrated to Britain from Jamaica.
He has had a long career in stand-up comedy, and appeared in sketch comedy shows including Celebrity Squares and The Ronnie Corbett Show since the 1970s.
He married fellow comedian Dawn French, best known for The Vicar of Dibley, in 1984, and the couple adopted a daughter, Billie.
The pair divorced in 2010 and Henry has not remarried.
Who are the guests on Caribbean Britain?
- Jazzie B – DJ and music producer who formed British musical collective Soul II Soul in the 1980s.
- Floella Benjamin – Trinidadian-British actor, singer and politician and life peer of the House of Lords.
- Sonia Boyce – Professor of Black Art and Design at University of the Arts London, and winner of the Golden Lion prize at the international cultural exhibition Venice Biennale in 2022.
- David Harewood – Actor and presenter best known for playing CIA Counterterrorism Director David Estes in Homeland.
- Judi Love – Stand-up comedian and presenter who has appeared on Loose Women, Taskmaster, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year and Strictly Come Dancing.
- Jamal Edwards – DJ and founder of online R&B and Hip-Hop platform SB.TV – Edwards sadly died in February this year.
- Trevor Nelson – DJ and presenter and a pioneer in the urban music scene in Britain
- Billy Ocean – R&B legend best known for the songs Caribbean Queen, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, and “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car.
- Andi Oliver – Celebrity chef who owns Wadadli Kitchen in London and presents Great British Menu.
- Levi Roots – Entrepreneur and reggae musician, best known for his Reggae Reggae sauce which he presented on Dragons’ Den, gaining a £50,000 investment.
- Benjamin Zephaniah – Writer, activist, and dub poet who also starred as Jeremiah in the Birmingham gangster series Peaky Blinders.
When does Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain air?
The first episode of the two-part series will air on BBC Two on 22 June at 9pm and the second episode will air on 29 June at 9.30pm.
Both episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after they are first broadcast.
Is there a trailer?
Yes there is, and you can watch it right here:
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