Chris Lilley’s shock career change revealed after the Australian comedian’s ‘problematic’ comedy shows were cancelled

Chris Lilley has embarked on a surprising new career change after his popular comedy shows were booted from Netflix.

The 50-year-old Australian comedian, known for his mockumentary-style series such as Summer Heights High and Angry Boys, has spent several years away from the television spotlight.

Over the past eight months, he has shifted his focus to a wildlife venture. 

Now, Lilley has become a YouTuber, sharing videos of his wildlife encounters while travelling across Australia.

A recent video released this week features the iconic funnyman documenting close encounters with kangaroos.

Another video shows him swimming with grey nurse sharks, while an earlier video captures Lilley travelling to Tasmania in search of wombats. 

Lilley has become a YouTuber, sharing videos of his wildlife encounters while travelling across Australia

The Logie winner recently launched his comeback project, Ja’miezing, a podcast based on his iconic schoolgirl character, Ja’mie King.

This comes after four of his television shows were removed from Netflix due to concerns over ‘blackface’ portrayals.

In July 2021, it was announced Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes would be removed from Netflix in Australia and New Zealand.

The shows raised questions about racial discrimination, as several characters were depicted using blackface and brownface.

On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****.

In Jonah from Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.

A recent video released this week features the iconic funnyman documenting close encounters with kangaroos

The Logie winner recently launched his comeback project Ja’miezing, a podcast based on his iconic schoolgirl character Ja’mie King, after four of his TV shows were axed from Netflix over ‘blackface’ portrayals. Pictured as Ja’mie King 

In We Can Be Heroes, Lilley played Ricky Wong, a Chinese physics student.

Chris has defended his style of comedy, telling The Weekend Australian in 2019: ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment.’

The award-winning comedian went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters.

Defending his controversial portrayals, he added: ‘When you meet them, you think “I know that type of person”, but then there is a twist, something crazy.

‘[In] the end you think, “Actually, I kind of relate to this, she just did that thing that I do every day.”‘

Chris has previously  defended his style of comedy, telling The Weekend Australian in 2019: ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment… When you meet them [the character], you think “I know that type of person”, but then there is a twist, something crazy’