Broadchurch series three: Sir Lenny Henry turns suspect in hit crime drama

He's the comedy legend who has been making Britons laugh for 30 years.

But Sir Lenny Henry will be turning a new chapter as he stars as one of the suspects in the third and final series of ITV's Broadchurch.

The Dudley-born funnyman will play Ed Burnett a farm shop manager who is stubborn but seemingly harmless as David Tennant and Olivia Colman return as DI Alex Hardy and DS Ellie Miller for the West Country-based drama.

The show will see the detectives reuniting to investigate a serious sexual assault in the thrilling 'whodunnit' series.

Starting on ITV on Monday night, Sir Lenny said: "I am from Dudley which back in the day was definitely a community but you know, anybody who lives on any kind of estate or in a little village will understand and empathise with what Chris Chibnall and his creative partners are trying to do with Broadchurch. It is this idea of telling a story through many eyes and many experiences and many vantage points. I think that's very clever.

"What is great about Broadchurch is that it is about that community, yes there is a central crisis and tragedy but it is the way the community responds as a group that makes the series different from other shows. The community reacts and make it their business to get involved with what's going on. It's very much the show asking the audience what would you do in this situation. Which is why I think it's fascinating."

So how did Lenny feel about joining the cast of Broadchurch?

"I am a huge fan of Broadchurch. When the offer came through I don't think they even got to the end of 'Broad-', they didn't get to the 'd' I just said yes, yes whatever it is. YES! And so then I met the director and we had a philosophical conversation about Broadchurch and the kind of bloke Ed is and how he fitted into the community. It was, for me, a no-brainer. Of course I want to be in Broadchurch."

Talking about his character, he added: "Ed Burnett is a widower who runs the farm shop and I think he is pretty much the only black guy within a 40-mile radius. He is short tempered and irritable but we don't know much about him. He has been in the Broadchurch area for the past 10 or so years but, as with all of these seaside places, he is still seen as an outsider."

He also revealed he had no idea who the culprit was for much of the filming as it was kept a secret from the cast.

"I was trying to work it out," he said.

"I discovered that the person to ask was the guy from the costume department who seemed to know everything.

"I know now, but I can't tell anyone.

"I think people are going to be shocked. It's a really powerful hour of TV, every week for the next eight weeks.

"I read the script for the first episode and was really moved, it was one of the best scripts I'd ever read.

"It is tricky when you're in a drama with such high expectations. You don't want to be the thing that disappoints and have people go 'They put a comedian in it!'.

Filming took place in Dorset, Bristol and Somerset throughout the summer.

Sarah Parish, Charlie Higson, Roy Hudd and former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh will also appear in the eight-part series.

Writer Chris Chibnall said: "We have one last story to tell, featuring both familiar faces and new characters. I hope it's a compelling and emotional farewell to a world and show that means so much to me."

And this week Sir Lenny was back in his native West Midlands with a return to stand-up comedy in aid of Comic Relief – the charity he has fronted for three decades.

He performed at the Glee Club in Birmingham on Wednesday.

He revealed how nervous he was to be doing stand-up again now he has giving it up for acting, and joked that he would be relying on his old act from when he won New Faces in 1975.

The 58-year-old said: "I wanted to do the gig in the Midlands.

"I'm not getting paid so I'm going to do my 1970s act and see if I can get away with that. Will they get jokes about Top Cat and Benny from Crossroads, do you think?

"I have a lot of butterflies but that's OK I think.

"I've never been to the Glee before but it's a really fantastic club."

Sir Lenny helped to found the charity, which has raised more than £1 billion, 30 years ago and couldn't turn down the request to take part in one of several fundraising nights.

John Bishop is hosting a Comic Relief Live gig in Manchester and Jo Brand will be in Glasgow.

The gig, which sold out within hours, also featured Daphne, Jack Carroll, Jayde Adams, London Hughes and Rhys James. Luisa Omielan had to pull out with illness.

Lenny says he comes back to the area often to see his family and said: "New Street is extraordinary now. It's like Close Encounters of the Third Kind happened but in the Midlands, like a spaceship has landed."

Broadchurch series three will start on ITV on Monday at 9pm.

Comic Relief takes place on March 24.