Lenny Henry to quit sketch shows

Lenny Henry plans to quit TV sketch shows after almost 30 years.

The comic says he now wants to concentrate on stand-up and developing new sitcoms instead.

He said that making sketch shows was ‘tiring’, so the next series of The Lenny Henry Show - which starts on BBC1 on Friday - would probably be his last.

"I think it will probably be the last show of this type that I will do because I have been doing it for 30 years and it is good to go out with a bang,” Henry told BBC Breakfast News.

"To be allowed to do this for 30 years has been insane, but they say making sketch shows is a young man's game, and new guys like Little Britain are just brilliant.

"I'm never going to give up stand-up, but this will be the last chance to see this kind of stuff from me."

Meanwhile, he is preparing for the new show with a series of near-secret gigs in a small London pub.

Henry started his low-key lunchtime performances at the Bath House, in Central London, last week week, and has eight more gigs in the pipeline.

They are every Wednesday to June 22 at 1pm; plus an extra performance at 7pm on May 11.

To apply for tickets – which are sure to be very scarce - email lennystandup@tigeraspect.co.uk

Published: 3 May 2005