Lenny Henry’s dating history, net worth and real name he never uses on stage
Comic Relief presenter Lenny Henry split from Dawn French in 2010 but has been in a long-term relationship with his current girlfriend for 10 years now
Lenny Henry spoke about diversity at festivals in a recent interview
Image: Getty Images)
(
Household name Lenny Henry has made headlines for his stellar work towards tackling racism in the UK, including with his new BBC Two documentary Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain, the second part of which airs this evening.
The comedian has been in the public eye for decades thanks to his stand-up, TV work and famous marriage, which broke down over 10 years ago.
But who is he dating now, and what is his net worth?
Who is Lenny Henry dating?
The comedian, 63, is in a relationship with girlfriend Lisa Makin, who he has been linked with since 2012.
Little is known about Ms Makin, including her age, but it has been widely reported that she is a producer.
Henry was previously married to Dawn French, 64, from 1984 to 2010, separating after 25 years together. They share their daughter Billie, 30, who they adopted.
After their split, a statement issued on behalf of the couple read: “The separation is entirely amicable and they fully intend to maintain their close friendship. Their priority is to commit to the future joint parenting of their daughter.”
Dawn French and Lenny Henry share a daughter named Billie
Dawn is now married to Mark Bignell, 57, a therapist, having tied the knot in 2013 at the Scarlet Hotel, in Mawgan Porth, near Newquay.
The wedding was attended by Sir Henry and their daughter, Hello! magazine reported at the timem and the pair have remained good friends since their split.
Dawn told the Mirror: “This had been a very happy marriage for a very long time and you don’t stop looking after each other or caring for each other, whatever has happened.”
Lenny Henry’s net worth
Though reports vary, Sir Henry is reported to have a net worth of around £7.3million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
Sir Lenny Henry and Lisa Makin have been together since 2013
Image:
( Dave Benett/Getty Images for ATG)
He co-founded Comic Relief alongside screenwriter Richard Curtis in 1985, and though he resigned as a trustee in 2017, he was appointed as an Honorary Life President of Comic Relief.
He was knighted by the Queen in 2015 and has spent his career working hard to raise awareness of racism in the UK.
The first episode of Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain, a two-part series on BBC2 that celebrates British-Caribbean life, aired on June 22.
The final episode airs this evening, June 28, and is available on BBC iPlayer.
Sir Lenny Henry was given a CBE from Her Majesty the Queen in March 1999
Image:
( Press Association)
The Comic Relief veteran is due to release his second book in August, Rising To The Surface, the sequel to his bestseller, Who Am I, Again? which came out in October 2019.
His full name is Sir Lenworth George Henry, he was born in Dudley, West Midlands, to Winston Jervis Henry and Winifred Louise Henry, who had immigrated to Britain from Jamaica.
He also travelled to Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, for a BBC One documentary called Lenny Henry: The Commonwealth Kid, where he spoke to local people and politicians alike to find out their perception of Britain.
The Boy With Wings, a children’s book written by Sir Lenny, was published in October 2021 and stars a young black superhero named Tunde who can sprout wings and fight bullies.
Sir Henry has detailed publicly how he was bullied as a child because of his race, and how he used comedy as a shield.
*Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain airs June 29 at 9.30pm on BBC Two
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