Lenny Henry's Caribbean Britain

In part one, Lenny looks at the explosion of culture brought from the Caribbean by the post-war arrivals, from the music of calypso and ska to theatre and art. He explores the stories of activism, entrepreneurship and resilience behind these artforms and how the early cultural pioneers laid the foundations for the next generation. Lenny also reflects on his own journey of trying to fulfil his parent’s ambitions to fit in to British society.

Lenny looks back on his coming of age and explores how he and other second- and third-generation British-born Caribbean kids begin to mesh their identity into their art. From the theatre and arts collectives of the 80s, to the making of brands, to the evolution of jungle and grime music, he explores how the output of successive generations has moved into the mainstream, enriching and transforming Britain’s cultural offering. And he hears how the third and fourth generations are determined to reconnect with their Caribbean roots and culture.