Calling all fans of comedian, actor, and writer Sir Lenny Henry, his second autobiography, Rising to the Surface is coming very soon.

The new memoir will be published on 1 September and comes ahead of his appearance in Amazon’s eagerly anticipated The Lord of the Rings prequel, in which he stars as Sadoc Burrows.

Henry has long since been part of the national fabric – and there’s seemingly no stopping him. Forever on the go, which his new autobiography proves, it’s no surprise that in a recent interview with The Times he credits meditation for having changed his life.

Rising to the Surface will chart his life throughout the Eighties and Nineties, touching on his early TV comedy years, experiences of racism within the industry, how he met his former wife, Dawn French – describing it as a “meeting of minds”, and how the death of his mother affected him.

If like us, you can’t wait to get stuck into Rising to the Surface make sure you get your hands on it as soon as it’s printed. To help you do just that, we’ve shared all the details about the forthcoming title along with how you can pre-order it now.

‘Rise to the Surface’ by Lenny Henry, published by Faber & Faber

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This isn’t Henry’s first rodeo when it comes to writing autobiographies – his first was titled Who am I, again? (£5.29, Amazon.co.uk), which explores his early years in the west Midlands with his Jamaican parents. The title was praised for being raw and touching, so, this latest release is eagerly anticipated.

Rise to the Surface starts where its predecessor finishes off with Henry as a teenager. It explores his experiences of grueling stand-up gigs, as well as his TV comedy career in the Eighties and Nineties, and his involvement in Comic Relief. It also touches on his relationship with his former wife Dawn French – their first meeting he describes as being a “meeting of minds”.

Tracking his personal highs and lows, it’s likely to be a very emotive, yet informative read. And if you want to read it on its release date, you can pre-order it now ahad of its publication day on 1 September.

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Looking for more reading recommendations? Take a look at our guide to the Booker Prize 2022 longlist