As part of #BlackHistoryMonthUK I've been looking into the making of #Desmonds, which brought me to comedy producer Humphrey Barclay.

Strap in for a crazy ride!

As you can see, the clipboard-holder on the left began his career with a slightly different set of comedy pals. 1/6

How did this Cambridge Footlights alumnus who brought us such conventional TV sitcoms as No Honestly and The Doctor series end up as a pioneer of black comedy in the UK?

The answer begins here...
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The popular 70s ITV sitcom was however attacked for its portrayal of foreigners.

These days someone accused of racism will double down defensively.

Not Humphrey.

He responded by commissioning No Problem! - the first original black-made sitcom for TV. #BlackHistoryMonthUK 3/6

Following that show's success he went on to produce Desmond's.

When one of the stars Gyearbuor Asante died in 2000 Humphrey went to the funeral in Tafo, a village which is a three-hour drive north-west of Accra in the Kwahu region of Ghana...

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While attending the funeral Humphrey was adopted by the Tafo Royal Family.

In Tafo, they named him Nana Kwadwo Ameyaw Gyearbuor Yiadom I, Nkosuohene of Kwahu-Tafo.

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He became a patron of the village and raised funds for the community.

Also turned out he was a descendant of Quaker banker David Barclay who famously freed all his slaves decades before abolition.

What a journey!

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PS a quick reminder that throughout October I'm posting an extremely personal list of my favourite 20 black writers and performers of comedy https://twitter.com/DaveCohencomedy/status/1313039979791212545