Revealed: Sir Lenny Henry, as you've never seen him before
A photo of a young Sir Lenny Henry preparing for a show, taken by a former Express and Star photographer, has been revealed.
The photo shows Sir Lenny painting his face before appearing in the controversial Black and White Minstrel Show in the late 1970s.
Express & Star photographer at the time, Graham Gough, took the picture in Sir Lenny's front room at his family home in Buffery Road, Dudley.
Mr Gough, who worked for the paper for 25 years, said: "Lenny was on a break back home at the time and I rang him up and asked if he would white up for a picture and he did. I went to his house in Dudley and he was only about 17 and had just left school the year before. He was very friendly and a nice guy, and didn't mind posing for me.
"The picture was taken in his front room and I got a snap of him with his mother too. He couldn't find a hand mirror in the house so basically used an ash tray instead."
Mr Gough photographed numerous celebrities over his career including Richard Todd, Cilla Black and Joan Collins.
In 2012 he published a book entitled 'The Black Country Album: 50 Years of Events, People and Places'. He added: "Although I had a long career with the Express and Star I didn't manage to meet Lenny again – I think I may have just seen a glimpse of him at a restaurant in Kinver some years later but we didn't get the chance to speak."
The comedian, now 56, appeared on The Black and White Minstrel show after winning talent competition New Faces. In recent years he has spoken out about his regret at his involvement in the show saying he was contractually bound to appear.
Sir Lenny recently returned to Dudley to celebrate his new TV drama Danny and the Human Zoo. It will broadcast today on BBC1 at 9pm.
