The BBC has today announced the casting for Danny And The Human Zoo, written by Lenny Henry. It is the fictionalised account of his life as a talented teenager in 1970s Dudley, made by RED Production Company for BBC One.
Newcomer Kascion Franklin will play Danny, with Lenny Henry (The Syndicate, The Lenny Henry Show) playing his dad Samson and Cecilia Noble (Nurse, The Bill) his mum Myrtle. Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) plays Danny's Manager Jonesy, Richard Wilson (One Foot In The Grave, Merlin) plays promoter James Broughton, and Mark Benton (Waterloo Road, Land Girls) plays seasoned entertainer Syd Bolton. BAFTA Rising Star Destiny Ekaragha (Rogue, Gone Too Far!) directs.
Lenry Henry, writer and playing Samson says: I can't believe that we're finally shooting my screenplay Danny And The Human Zoo! This is a fantasy memoir of the first two years of my career my beginnings, working on the Zoo, working men's clubs and all that stuff that happened to me in the mid-Seventies but crammed into 90 minutes. The script took about three years with the help of Nicola Shindler and Caroline Hollick at RED Productions and now we're going to make it in Dudley led by a wonderful director Destiny Ekaragha. There's an incredibly talented cast and I feel very lucky to be a part of it all.
Danny's world is a series of complex minefields which he has to negotiate: his home life which his ebullient mother rules with an iron fist in an iron glove; his love life where the Irish girl he's in lust with won't give him the time of day until he wins his first competition; and finally the ups and downs of his emerging career.
When Danny wins a talent competition at the local club, he soon finds himself working the comedy circuit. Audiences can't get enough and applaud Danny as he effortlessly morphs into Mohammed Ali, Tommy Cooper and Frank Spencer, eventually hitting the big time on TV an unheard-of achievement for a young black boy at the time. But an unscrupulous manager takes advantage of Danny and forces him to star in a show Musical Minstrel Cavalcade. Danny hits rock bottom. Having made his name by becoming other people, Danny has to save himself by finding out who he really is.
Nicola Shindler, Executive Producer for RED Production Company, says: I am delighted to be working with Lenny on this fantastic script. Danny And The Human Zoo gives the audience an entry into a world very little seen on TV. It's a funny, bold and at times shocking fictionalisation of his story. And is full of the warmth, wit and brilliance we associate with Lenny himself.
Polly Hill, Head of Independent Drama at the BBC, adds: It's exciting to see Kascion Franklin gain his first screen credit, alongside our director Destiny Ekaragha in a fictionalised drama of Lenny Henry's early life. Lenny's script gives us his take on Britain in the Seventies, often shocking but always with wit and a big heart. It's a beautiful script, with a great cast and we are proud to make it for BBC One.
Danny And The Human Zoo will be filming in and around the Dudley area. Juliet Charlesworth is the producer. The drama was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Controller, BBC One, and Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning. It is made by RED Production Company for BBC One. The executive producers are Nicola Shindler and Caroline Hollick for RED Production Company and Polly Hill, Head of Independent Drama, for the BBC.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
15/07/2026
Home to leading manufacturers, robotics pioneers, infrastructure builders and gaming, of course, Japan is one of the world's centers of AI - building across...
14/07/2026
South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...
14/07/2026
Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...
14/07/2026
Agreement spans sponsorship sales, digital monetization, radio production, and new practice facility naming rights...
14/07/2026
Independent league adds 14 regional sports network affiliates, growing distribut...
14/07/2026
New strategy aims to unify competitions, content, fan engagement, and commercial...
14/07/2026
ESPN and Disney+ become exclusive home of PFL events in key international MMA market...
14/07/2026
Gill will oversee engineering, technology, and sports operations across the company's 64 local television stations...
14/07/2026
Submitted by North American Broadcasters Association (NABA)
As broadcasters con...
14/07/2026
Modernized mobile unit combines HOME Apps, mc 56 console, and IP infrastructure ...
14/07/2026
Every match of the 32-team tournament will air across ION and Scripps Sports platforms in English and Spanish...
14/07/2026
FloHockey to stream every game of the annual international tournament under four...
The BBC has today announced the casting for Danny And The Human Zoo, written by Lenny Henry. It is the fictionalised account of his life as a talented teenager in 1970s Dudley, made by RED Production Company for BBC One.
