Comic Relief

:For a description of the origin of the term comic relief see comic relief.

Red Nose Day

Red Nose Day is the main way in which Comic Relief raises money. It is held in the spring every other year and is often treated as a semi-holiday, with, for example, schools having non-uniform days. The day culminates in a live television event on BBC1 starting in the evening and going through into the early hours of the morning, but other money-raising events take place.

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As the name suggests, the day involves the wearing of plastic red noses, which are available, in exchange for a donation, from many shops. There are also larger noses designed to be attached to the fronts of cars or even buildings. The design of the nose has been changed each year, beginning with a fairly plain one, which later grew arms and legs, turned into a tomato and even changed colour. See the table below.

Related Topics:
Nose - Tomato - Table

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The first "Red Nose Day" was on 5 February, 1988, which raised £15 million. The TV show was hosted by Lenny Henry, Griff Rhys Jones and Jonathan Ross. More than £210 million has so far been distributed to projects by Comic Relief. Administrative costs are covered by corporate sponsors to ensure all public donations are passed on to the supported projects.

Related Topics:
5 February - 1988 - £ - Lenny Henry - Griff Rhys Jones - Jonathan Ross

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On television

The television programming begins in the afternoon, with children's BBC having various related reports, money-raising events and a celebrity gungeing. This is all in-between the regular programmes, but after the six o'clock news, the normal schedule is suspended in favour of a live show, with each hour overseen by a different celebrity team. These celebrities do the work for free, as do the crew, with studio space donated by the BBC.

Related Topics:
Children's BBC - BBC

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Regular themes throughout the shows include parodies of recent popular shows, films and events and specially-filmed versions of comedy shows. Smith & Jones and a parody sketch starring Rowan Atkinson are both regularly featured – the first being ' (1988).

Related Topics:
Parody - Rowan Atkinson - 1988

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1999 event

A parody of the Doctor Who series, Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death, starring Rowan Atkinson as the Doctor, was featured during the show.

Related Topics:
Doctor Who - Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death - Doctor

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2001 event

In 2001 the total raised on Red Nose Day was £61,000,140. As well as donations on the night of the TV show money is raised from countrywide sponsored events and from merchandising, particularly of the red noses themselves. In 2001 5.8 million red noses were sold, approximately one each for 10% of the UK population.

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Jack Dee won Celebrity Big Brother.

Related Topics:
Jack Dee - Celebrity Big Brother

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2003 event

The 2003 "Red Nose Day" was held on March 14, 2003. The fund raising activities for included Lenny Henry providing the voice of the speaking clock between March 10 and March 23 with the cost of the call going to Comic Relief. On the night of the live show itself, £35m was raised, an on-the-night record. A total of £61,477,539 was raised that year, setting a new record.

Related Topics:
March 14 - 2003 - Speaking clock - March 10 - March 23

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Jack Dee stood outside at the top of a pole for the duration of the show, parodying the acts of David Blaine. Celebrity Driving School lead up to the event, with the test results announced during the telethon.

Related Topics:
David Blaine - Celebrity Driving School

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2005 event

The 2005 Red Nose Day was held on March 11 and was hosted by a collection of television stars:

Related Topics:
2005 - March 11

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• Chris Evans
• Lenny Henry
• Davina McCall
• Graham Norton
• Dermot O'Leary
• Jonathan Ross

The 2005 event was also noteworthy for supporting the Make Poverty History campaign

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Over £55m was raised as of July 2005.

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Shows included

As usual a variety of specially-filmed versions of television shows were made. Popular BBC talent show Fame Academy was attended by celebrities singing cover versions of songs. Viewers voted for their favourite, with the proceeds going to the cause and the celebrity. Other shows included:

Related Topics:
Fame Academy - Cover version

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• Little Britain
• My Family
• The Vicar of Dibley

Spider-plant Man, a parody of Spider-Man starring Rowan Atkinson, was also featured.

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Donation progress

Times approximate and amounts rounded to the nearest million where not stated exactly:

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• 7:30pm - £2 million
• 8:30pm - £7 million
• 9:30pm - £18 million
• 10pm - £22 million
• 11:30pm - £30,503,394
• 12:45am - £35,325,862
• 02:00am - £37,809,564

Rasied by july 2005: £55m

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