Red Nose Day tops £34 million raised for Comic Relief

Independent

22-03-2025

Red Nose Day helped raise more than £34 million for Comic Relief during its 40th anniversary, the BBC has revealed.
The charity fundraiser, hosted at Salford's MediaCity, saw sketches from some of the biggest shows on the BBC, including Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators and Beyond Paradise.
It was announced that £34,022,590 had been raised for the charity, which helps support communities by providing food, healthcare and shelter to those who need it most.
Samir Patel, chief executive of Comic Relief, said: 'On behalf of us all, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. Your extraordinary efforts have helped raise £34,022,590 that will help tackle some of the most urgent problems facing millions of people here in the UK and across the world.
'The kindness we've seen is nothing short of incredible, and every donation, big or small reminds us that when we come together, we can help inspire real and meaningful change.
'Forty years on, the power of laughter to change lives remains as true today as it did in 1985.'
At the helm of the event were TV presenters Joel Dommett, Rylan Clark, Alison Hammond, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Tom Allen, Alesha Dixon and AJ Odudu.
The Inbetweeners stars James Buckley and Joe Thomas recreated the moment Oasis decided to reunite for a tour in one of the featured sketches.
Liam Gallagher, played by Buckley, and Noel Gallagher, played by Thomas, were advised to call each other after their managers told them they were broke.
It comes after the feuding Gallagher brothers announced their long-awaited reunion in August 2024 with a worldwide tour taking place this summer.
The actors also recreated 'that ticket fiasco', when fans saw ticket prices soar thanks to the use of dynamic pricing on Ticketmaster.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan played the 'Ticket Master' who could be seen meeting the brothers in a dark and spooky castle.
'Let me reassure you personally, everyone will be treated completely fairly,' he told them.
Elsewhere, comedy character Chabuddy G from sitcom People Just Do Nothing told the Gladiators he was joining them as a new superhuman member of the show called Girth, Wind And Fire.
The character, played by Asim Chaudhry, managed to win a challenge against Bionic (Matty Campbell) but CCTV confirmed 'foul play' and Chabuddy G was banned for life from the show.
Comedians Russell Kane and Rachel Parris portrayed Strictly's first amateur professional dancers, Melissa and Johnny, in another sketch.
The dancing duo had been selected thanks to the BBC One show's 'inclusivity rules, which require a certain percentage of professionals to be amateurs'.
While hosting, McCall became emotional as she reflected on what was 'quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever been through'.
'I had a pretty mad year this year. Doctors found a benign brain tumour, by chance, and after a lot of deliberating, I had it removed,' she said.
The 57-year-old then began to cry and took a moment to pause as she reflected on the support she had received from her family and partner Michael Douglas.
During the BBC One programme, popular sketches from across the years were shown, including when James Corden's Smithy, from Gavin And Stacey, stumbled into an England football meeting.
Also on the show, Rock Choir performed Somewhere Only We Know by Keane while Sugababes sang their hit Stronger.
Former One Direction star Liam Payne and drag queen The Vivienne were among the celebrities remembered in an in memoriam-style segment.
Comic Relief co-founder Sir Lenny Henry, who hosted his final Red Nose Day last year after almost four decades at the helm, reflected on the charity's 40th anniversary.
'I can't believe Comic Relief is turning the big 4-0. In some ways it feels like 1985 was, like, yesterday,' he said in a pre-recorded video.
He spoke about how the charity had started following 'a devastating famine in East Africa' in the 1980s and said the Noughties brought Sport Relief while the 2010s saw money funnelled towards helping those with malaria.
After reviewing the highlights, Sir Lenny added: 'Please keep doing what you can to help, because doing good never gets old.'
Communities, workplaces, schools and families have helped raise more than £1.6 billion over the last 40 years, which has supported more than 100 million people, according to Comic Relief.
Sir Lenny co-founded the charity with Love Actually screenwriter Richard Curtis in 1985.