Felicity Kendal celebrates World Africa Day

12th May 2017

English actress and national treasure Felicity Kendal is starring in a brand new comedy sketch for Comic Relief’s ‘See Africa Differently’ campaign.

Released today, (25th May) in celebration of World Africa Day 2012, the light-hearted sketch sees the star, who plays herself, challenged by her taxi driver over her misconception that six out of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Asia.

In fact, six of the fastest growing economies in the world can be found across Africa, in Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Chad, Mozambique and Rwanda.

The actress, best known for her role in the seventies BBC sitcom The Good Life, said: “Africa is a lion on the move, with a richness of cultural diversity that deserves to be celebrated.  I really enjoyed making this film, it’s time we all opened our eyes to the good news coming out of Africa.”

World Africa Day perfectly encompasses the spirit of See Africa Differently by celebrating African diversity and success around the world, and highlighting the cultural and economic potential that exists on the continent.

The film(opens in new window) was written by comedy writers George Jeffrie & Bert Tyler Moore, and produced and directed by Andrew Chaplin & Lucy Forbes of Mock Tudor.  The writers’ previous work includes sketches on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man, The Kumars at Number 42 and Armstrong & Miller.

The See Africa Differently campaign is an initiative of Comic Relief that challenges negative stereotypes of Africa by showing a more holistic portrayal of the continent and telling the under reported good news that is seldom heard.  The campaign reveals a different side to the world’s second largest continent through the lens of film, fashion, music, business and innovation.

The dedicated website hosts thought-provoking articles and quick-fire facts as well as exclusive interviews and videos sourced from the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Kofi Annan and the Shakespeare globe theatre.