Seven reasons we love Lenny Henry

Sir Lenworth George Henry, CBE is a gold-plated comedy legend with a royal seal of approval. He appears as the mysterious Consultant in Episode 4 of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Hexagonal Phase, which makes the perfect excuse to remind ourselves of why we love him so.

1. He's been a star for the past five decades

Lenny Henry broke into the big time as a teenager when he won ITV talent show New Faces in 1975. He soon found further fame as a presenter on children's morning show Tiswas and on sketch show Three of a Kind alongside Tracey Ullman and (not that) David Copperfield. Since then he's never really been away - the man is a national institution.

2. He's raised millions for Comic Relief

From the first live event at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1986, Lenny Henry has been a key part of the fundraiser. He founded the charity alongside Richard Curtis in response to the famine in Ethiopia in 1985 and alongside Jonathan Ross and Griff Rhys Jones he fronted hours of Red Nose Day telethons. More than anyone he is the face of the effort to raise money for good causes in the UK and Africa.

3. He's a genuine role model

When Lenny first hit the big time, The Black and White Minstrel Show was still a shameful staple of Saturday night TV. He became a model of black British success and over time he's embraced being a spokesman for diversity in the media, speaking out in parliament and demanding changes in the industry.

Lenny Henry with Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield in Three of a Kind in 1982

4. He's created some memorable characters

From those early appearances on New Faces it was clear that Lenny Henry was an irresistible performer. He's used those skills to embody some richly comic personas, from the sketch-driven comedy of The Lenny Henry Show (which ran intermittently from 1987 to 2005) and the arrogant chef Gareth Blackstock in his 1990s sitcom Chef! to the unforgettable sexual soulman Theophilus P Wildebeeste.

5. He went back to school long after he'd made it

Not many stars bother to go back to school once they've found fame and fortune, but Lenny did. We're not talking about his role as a "superhead" teacher in BBC drama Hope & Glory here, but of the BA (Hons) in English Literature he gained from the Open University in 2007. He has continued his studies since, and Nottingham Trent University even awarded him an Honorary Doctorate.

6. He's a highly respected thespian

Continuing to challenge himself rather than resting on his laurels, in 2009 Lenny Henry undertook the challenge the lead role in a production of Othello at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. He came away with rave reviews and has regularly trodden the boards on the London stage since, joining a National Theatre production of The Comedy of Errors, assuredly starring in August Wilson's Fences in 2013 and last year taking on Brecht with a memorable turn in the titular lead of The Irresistible Rise of Arturo Ui.

7. He put Dudley on the map

Okay, so some people still think Lenny Henry has a Birmingham accent, but he's always been pretty clear that he's from Dudley. Some liken the accent to a grating nasal whine, but when Lenny speaks it's always lovable.

Listen to Lenny Henry on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on Thursdays at 6.30pm or online.