Comic Relief launched in 1985 with its founders - Sirs Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis - vowing to put the fun into fundraising.
The charity’s annual Red Nose Day TV appeal on BBC1 has helped raise over £1.5 billion both here and abroad and this year Red Nose Day celebrates 40 years of Comic Relief with a star-studded birthday bash!
Here's everything we know about Comic Relief 2025...
Comic Relief 2025 release date
Red Nose Day 2025 airs on Friday, March 21 from 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Comic Relief 2025 hosts
Helming the unmissable evening of hilarious sketches, special performances and showstopping music acts live from BBC Media City in Salford will be the all-star lineup of Davina McCall, Alison Hammond, Joel Dommett, Alesha Dixon, Rylan, Tom Allen, AJ Odudu and Jonathan Ross, who co-hosted the very first Red Nose Day telethon in 1988.
"I presented alongside Sir Lenny Henry and Griff Rhys Jones and it was incredibly exciting," recalls Jonathan.
"I still remember Richard and Lenny taking me to lunch to tell me about their plans. I’m thrilled I got to be involved and that it became a huge success. I feel lucky to be part of this year’s Red Nose Day - it’s a great way to commemorate!"
Comic Relief 2025 sketches and special spin-offs
A much-loved part of every Red Nose Day TV appeal, there will be parodies of all your favourite BBC shows, including:
Strictly Come Dancing
Comedians Russell Kane and Rachel Parris are taking part in Strictly... well, sort of. They'll be appearing as two surprising new dancers in a hilarious sketch for Comic Relief.
The funny pair will portray Johnny and Melissa, two unlikely newcomers who take on the challenge of joining the Strictly professional line-up in the wake of new inclusivity rules, which require a certain percentage of professionals to be... amateurs!
Filmed in observational documentary style, the skit follows Johnny and Melissa through the audition process as they land their dream jobs as Strictly’s first-ever amateur professional dancers. In a sad twist of fate, though, both their celebrity partners pull out of the show at the last minute, citing identical 'injuries'. Can Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman hatch a plan so that everyone 'keeeeps dancing'?
Russell Kane says: “After physio, red light therapy, sports massage, heat rub, and an acupuncture mat session - I’m really looking forward to my spine taking part in Strictly for Red Nose Day. [Typed while lying down.]"
Not Going Out meets Beyond Paradise
Sally Bretton, who plays both Lee's wife Lucy in Not Going Out and DI Humphrey Goodman’s wife Martha in Beyond Paradise, takes on both roles in a hilarious mix-up of mistaken identities.
As Sally is joined by her onscreen husbands, Lee Mack and Kris Marshall, the sketch sees the characters’ worlds unexpectedly collide, setting the stage for a comedy of errors that’s not to be missed.
"It was great fun to have the two worlds collide, play my own doppelganger and get swept up in the madness that comes with that," says Sally.
"It was particularly special to be doing it all for such a brilliant cause as Comic Relief. The sketch was filmed at such high speed, we didn’t know if we were coming or going. I don’t know how Lee Mack holds all the moving parts in his head. We all had a great day filled with fun, confusion and belly laughs."
Gladiators
While we know the Gladiators will be involved in Red Nose Day 2025, there is no news as yet on what our warriors will be getting up to on the night. Will update here as soon as we have details.
The Night of TV will also see one of the most hotly anticipated reunions in music history will be getting the Red Nose sketch treatment. Details are top secret but we’re promised it's Definitely (Maybe) not to be missed!
We'll update this page as more sketches and special performances are announced.
In the meantime, here's a dose of Comic Relief nostalgia with the iconic 1997 performance which saw French & Saunders and friends team up with The Spice Girls on their hit Who Do You Think You Are?
Which celebrities be taking part in Comic Relief 2025 challenges?
A host of famous faces will be putting themselves under pressure to raise money for this worthy cause.
They are:
Radio 1's Ultra Marathon Man: Jamie Laing for Red Nose Day, Monday-Friday, BBC Radio 1
Jamie Laing attempts to run an ultra marathon every day for five days to raise cash for the charity. Kicking off at 7am on Monday in London, the Made in Chelsea star hopes to reach the finish line in Salford on Friday night, just in time to celebrate the 40th birthday bash.
BBC Morning Live: Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge, Thursday, 9.30am, BBC1 & iPlayer
Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are lacing up their retro roller boots to undertake a 24-hour roller-skating endurance test in aid of Comic Relief!
Accompanied by soundtracks from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, the presenting duo will begin their epic feat on Morning Live on Thursday, skating around the clock into Red Nose Day on Friday.
What else can we expect on the night for Comic Relief 2025?
Comic Relief: 40 Years of Funny, Friday, 10.40pm, BBC1
As the appeal continues on BBC2, Emma Willis and Asim Chaudhry present Red Nose Day’s best bits from the archives with classic moments from comedy greats such as French and Saunders, Alan Partridge, Mr Bean, Peter Kay and Catherine Tate. Plus, there’s a fun look back at the charity’s singles.
Appeal films
Amongst the laughs on the night, viewers will of course be reminded of how their donations continue to help a whole range of Comic Relief-funded projects, supporting those dealing with issues like homelessness, food poverty and domestic abuse.
"At its core, Comic Relief taps into something wonderful about human nature – the desire to help others," says Jonathan. "The variety of people the charity supports and the impact it has, both in the UK and abroad, means you know your donation is helping in multiple ways."
How can I donate to Comic Relief 2025?
Donate to Comic Relief by visiting the official Red Nose Day website.
Behind the scenes and more on Comic Relief 2025
Comic Relief is a UK charity that uses the power of entertainment and popular culture to work towards a vision of a just world free from poverty.
It raises money to support organisations that are closest to the communities who can make change happen. It supports work that will tackle the impact of poverty, injustice, conflict, and climate change in the UK and around the world.
Since launching in 1985, the charity has raised over £1.6 billion thanks to the huge generosity and kindness of the public and our partners. For more information on the charity's work, visit www.comicrelief.com or follow @comicrelief on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok for the latest content and news.
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