LennyHenry

In 1975 he came to prominence winning TV talent show New Faces, which led to a run in the comedy series The Summer Show.

He then starred in The Fosters, the first sitcom written for and featuring black people, while also performing stand-up in working men's clubs and touring with The Black and White Minstrels.

In 1978, he joined children's show Tiswas, before appearing in and writing for Three of a Kind on BBC One.

Meeting future wife Dawn French in 1982 proved pivotal and not just for the obvious reason. She prompted him to move into the alternative comedy scene and Lenny was reborn as a performer.

His own sketch show followed and established him as a major force in British humour.

In 1999, he was awarded a CBE for his work with charity Comic Relief.