Sir Lenny Henry opens up on 'painful' injury as he takes on huge challenge for ITV

Yahoo

08-07-2025

Sir Lenny Henry bravely stepped way outside his usual scene for ITV by jetting off to swim with sharks, even as he was on the mend from a nasty injury.
In the thrilling SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, a group of well-known stars shun the glitz of tinsel town for The Bahamas' open seas. There's little time for working on their tans though, as these celebs are on a mission for survival.
Guided by top-notch shark experts, they're set to face one of the ocean's most maligned residents: the shark. As they encounter species from the majestic Hammerhead to the intimidating Bull shark, each dive brings them closer to the heart of shark domains. The experience is exhilarating, eye-opening and occasionally petrifying.
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Yet, the journey reveals that the true horror isn't the presence of sharks but an absence of them. Half a century following the hysteria JAWS created, this docuseries shifts perspectives, highlighting the crucial role these formidable creatures play in our oceans.
Featuring icons like Sir Lenny Henry, McFly's Dougie Poynter and other adored public figures, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters serves up excitement, enlightenment and a stark message from the deep blue sea.
At 66 years young, the co-founder of Comic Relief exchanged comedy for the challenges of scuba diving. Reflecting on the aquatic adventure, Lenny remarked, "Being in the water, my ears were funny and painful at times." He adds: "I had a dodgy knee when I arrived, and my experience in the water and the exercise just made it go away. It was amazing."
Lenny was buzzing with enthusiasm about his upcoming challenge that combined ecology and shark expeditions. "When the question was put to me, would you like to go on an adventure of ecology and exploration involving sharks, I actually considered it and thought, actually, I'd love to do that," he excitedly shares.
He aims to shatter the myths around sharks being antihuman predators by immersing in their natural habitat. "We are going to experience sharks in their own environment, but we are also going to disprove the notion that sharks are immensely antihuman creatures that react in a threatening and malignant way."
Preparing for his underwater endeavours, Lenny honed his swimming skills with gusto. "It made me approach the exercise of being in the water every day in a gung-ho way," he says. "I would just get in the water and I'm not the best of swimmers, but I really worked hard on it and it paid off."
Despite his excitement, Lenny confesses dealing with a fear of sharks during the journey. "I was s******g myself at all stages of the journey." Lenny admits.
However, he quickly discovered that the sharks were largely indifferent to humans. "But what's great is they're not interested in you. They're really not."
Post-filming, Lenny has become an advocate of diving into life's adventures regardless of age or ability. "Don't give up, don't mind about how old you are, just get in there and have a go," he encourages. "And if you can't keep up, take it at your own pace and just get through it."
He reminds us that perseverance pays off and there's no age limit to experiencing new things. "You'll be proud of yourself. But don't give up. Don't think 'I'm sixty odd, I shouldn't be doing this.' You can do anything you want, just be a bit brave and get in there."