Lenny Henry Net Worth 2024 | Wife

Lenny Henry Net Worth – $10 million

What is Sir Lenny Henry’s net worth? Also, is Lenny Henry married?

Introduction

Sir Lenny Henry is a legendary British comedian and actor.

He started his career in the seventies and emerged as one of the most popular comedic acts of the eighties and nineties, with his own show on prime-time BBC TV.

After branching out onto the stage and into Hollywood, Henry has held a variety of roles throughout his career, which have all contributed to his impressive net worth today. 

The Origin Story

Lenny Henry was born in August 1958 in Dudley, England.

He was born to Jamaican parents who had emigrated to the UK before his birth. He attended school in Dudley before completing his education at WR Tuson College in Preston, Lancashire.

Throughout his career, Henry has been outspoken about the lack of diversity in show business in the UK and is known as someone who has always been willing to speak his mind.

He is also extremely charitable, illustrated by his co-founding of Comic Relief, one of the biggest charities in the UK. 

Wife

Lenny Henry was married to fellow comedian Dawn French for 25 years before the pair split amicably in 2010.

They have a daughter named Billie together.

Since his split with French, Lenny Henry has been in a relationship with Lisa Makin, a theatre producer and casting director.

After enjoying great success in the industry, Henry went back to school in 2007, graduating from the Open University with a BA in English Literature.

He then received a Masters’s in Screenwriting and TV from Royal Holloway, the University of London, three years later, before completing a Ph.D. in Media Arts in 2018. 

He is the chancellor of Birmingham City University and was knighted by the Queen in 2015.

He loves football and has supported EPL team West Bromwich Albion his entire life.

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Sir Lenny Henry – Net Worth 2024

So, how much is Lenny Henry worth?

As an extremely popular British comedian and actor, Lenny Henry earned most of his wealth thanks to his appearances in TV shows and stage productions.

He is also a renowned children’s entertainer and is a co-founder of the charity Comic Relief, which raises millions every year for worthy causes all around the world.

He started his career in comedy by performing at Working Men’s Clubs around the West Midlands, the part of the UK he grew up in.

His act was based upon impersonating famous people, and he won a 1975 talent show called New Faces, where he impersonated Stevie Wonder and Frank Spencer. 

After his appearance on the show, he was signed by manager Robert Luff, who invited Henry to perform in the Black and White Minstrel Show.

Talking about the show later, Henry recalled: 

“The Black and White Minstrel Show was a way of singing the songs of the great American songbook and beyond. White guys would wear black faces with white around their eyes, and they’d wear all these exotic costumes. It was the best selling show in London from 1963 to 1973.” 

He went on to say that he regretted appearing in the show as he was too young to understand what was going on with his agent.

He said:

“I didn’t realize how bad this was until I went to the press conference, and one of the minstrel boys walked up to me, wiped my face, and said, ‘yours doesn’t come off.’ For five years, I had that joke said to me in some form or another by pretty much everybody in the show.”

After leaving the show, Henry landed gigs on television on shows including Celebrity Squares, Seaside Special, and the Ronnie Corbett Show. But it wasn’t until the eighties that Henry became a household name across the nation. 

He started to perform his stand-up routine live to packed out audiences, playing all summer of 1980 in Blackpool.

At this time, he joined Comic Strip alongside fellow comedian Dawn French, who would later become his wife. 

Thanks to his various acts and his take on alternative comedy, Henry landed his own show on the BBC – The Lenny Henry Show – which aired in 1984.

His show was exceptionally popular on prime-time TV in the UK, running for nineteen years.

He performed impressions and impersonations of other famous acts while inviting high-profile guests to join him. 

At this stage of his career, Henry had the idea of giving something back as he was enjoying huge success in his industry.

This is what motivated him to launch the charity Comic Relief in 1985, along with Richard Curtis.

The popular ‘Red Nose Day’ idea was born, and every year British people raise millions of money for charities around the world. 

In the first-ever Red Nose Day that was broadcast, more than £15 million was raised, and more than 150 celebrities joined together.

It is for Comic Relief that Henry is perhaps best known today, and it has helped him establish his place as one of the most cherished British comedy acts of all time. 

Henry continued his success in the nineties and subsequently appeared in various other film and TV shows, both in the UK and the US.

He has also starred in various stage productions and has a particular interest in Shakespeare. 

Therefore, Lenny Henry has an estimated net worth of $10 million.

FAQ

Does Lenny Henry have a partner?

Henry is dating Lisa Makin. He was previously married to Dawn French.

Is Lenny Henry in the new Lord of the Rings series?

Yes. He portrays Sadoc Burrows.

What’s Lenny Henry’s net worth?

He has a net worth of $10 million.

Is Lenny Henry still friends with Dawn French?

Lenny Henry and Dawn French, two of Britain’s most loved comedians, were married for 25 years before their amicable divorce in 2010. Despite the end of their marriage, the pair have maintained a strong friendship.

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