Lenny Henry wins newcomer award for role as Othello
Comedian Lenny Henry scooped a prestigious theatre award today for best newcomer for his performance as Shakespeare's Othello.
The Dudley-born 51-year-old, whose previous acting experience was in a nativity play as a youngster, told the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards ceremony: "I must be the oldest newcomer there has ever been - which means there is hope for Bruce Forsyth's King Lear."
Henry, whose wife Dawn French accompanied him to the glitzy bash which included Kevin Spacey and Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, picked up his gong from Anna Friel, who has been starring in the West End as Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany's.
The funnyman, who received cheers from the audience, said of his late mother Winnie: "My mum would have been here in a big church hat, sat in front of Kevin Spacey ...
"I really, really appreciate this ... cheers."
Henry crowned his theatrical debut as Othello with the Milton Shulman Award for outstanding newcomer.
He said his previous acting experience was as "the black kid" in a nativity play as a youngster.
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