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LYCETT, SHEERAN, BECKETT AND SAUNDERS - Not a firm of solicitors - merely some of the names already signed up for Red Nose Day 2017 (24th March).
Joe Lycett, Romesh Ranganathan, Rob Beckett and more of today's top comedy talent will join forces with legends like French & Saunders to present a night of unmissable live comedy on the BBC
Man of the moment Ed Sheeran sings with children on the streets of Liberia to kick off his support for Red Nose Day 2017 – more details to be revealed soon
Comic Relief fosters new comedy talent with first ever country-wide live comedy gigs as well as a brand new original YouTube comedy series from the best new comedians around
Michaela Coel, Russell Kane, Katy Brand, Reggie Yates, Hugh Dennis and David Baddiel drive across Kenya and Uganda delivering crucial supplies to Comic Relief funded projects
For the first time ever the Red Noses can be heard as Professor Stephen Hawking, Warwick Davis, Hugh Dennis, Nick Grimshaw, Lenny Henry, Harry Hill, Alex Jones, Katie Price and Joe Sugg provide their voices for a digital comic strip game
Joe Lycett and Ed Sheeran will be amongst a whole host of comedians and celebrities who are supporting this year’s Red Nose Day on Friday 24th March to help transform lives here at home in the UK and across Africa.
There’s a fantastic line up this time around with live comedy gigs taking place around the UK featuring the hottest new names on the circuit. For the first time ever an original series of online comedy sketches, written by and starring a host of up and coming talent, will feature on the Comic Relief YouTube channel.
Even the Noses themselves are gagging to get involved as they become characters on a cool digital comic strip game on rednoseday.com with Professor Stephen Hawking, Warwick Davis, Hugh Dennis, Nick Grimshaw, Lenny Henry, Harry Hill, Alex Jones, Katie Price and Joe Sugg providing the voices. The nine Red Noses will all be available to find in surprise bags from Sainsbury’s, Oxfam and rednoseday.com.
Professor Hawking said: “I’m a world renowned scientist who has shaped our understanding of the universe and I am being asked to make snot jokes. I must really like this charity.”
All of this comedy energy is being harnessed to help those who really need it. Superstar Ed Sheeran visited children living on the streets of the Liberian capital Monrovia, many orphaned by the recent Ebola outbreak, to see just that. During his trip, Ed visited the Street Child Liberia project which uses Comic Relief cash to help give vulnerable children a better future, reuniting them with their relatives and helping them get back into school.
Ed Sheeran said: “I’ll never forget the kids I met on this trip, when we sang together they were in such high spirits despite everything they’d been through. It was an incredibly eye opening experience and I‘m really proud to support Comic Relief and see what they are doing to help these children have a better future.”
Then there's the Red Nose Convoy, which will see three pairs of celebrities get behind the wheel for an African road trip like no other. Reggie Yates, Michaela Coel, Russell Kane, Hugh Dennis, David Baddiel and Katy Brand are swapping their home comforts for life on the road as they make their way from Kenya to Uganda, delivering crucial supplies to Comic Relief funded projects en route. Travelling in convoy, the famous six want to see for themselves how Comic Relief cash is hard at work improving access to essential healthcare in some of Africa’s poorest communities.
YouTubers Jim Chapman and Marcus Butler are kicking off an awareness campaign driven by the influencer community, to fight for change for vulnerable young people. They’ll be vlogging about their recent trip to Sierra Leone where they saw the progress that is being made in communities to empower young people and create lasting change.
Red Nose Day will culminate in a night filled with a whole heap of titillating telly treats on the BBC as a host of comic favourites including Sir Lenny Henry, Joe Lycett, Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Warwick Davis, Sally Phillips, Greg Davies, Jonathan Ross and French & Saunders preside over a mammoth night of live comedy, sketches, music moments, fundraising films and much much more on what promises to be TV’s most unpredictable night of raucous horseplay ever.
Expect the unexpected as a night of fun, foolery and fundraising is broadcast LIVE from Red Nose Day’s new Comedy Superclub, Building Six, in the heart of The O2.
The riotous revue will be bursting at the seams with comedy gems for everyone from eight to eighty to enjoy. There will be a musical mashup of epic proportions as a very well-known international music mega star collaborates on a special track with the stars of People Just Do Nothing aka Kurrupt FM - the second most popular pirate radio station in West London. The Self-proclaimed Mayor of Hounslow and Ultrapreneur Chabbudy G said: “Doing Charity is one of the only ways you can make some serious money, tax free! Obviously it all goes to a good cause ;).”
The loudest, proudest mammy in Ireland, Mrs Brown, will also be on hand to add just a ‘touch’ of chaos to the night’s proceedings; Graham Norton will welcome a gaggle of guests to a ludicrously long super-sized sofa; plus Vic and Bob will be not only be bringing back classic characters The Stotts but will also be helping out backstage and David Walliams will come face to face with his nemesis.
But all this is just the beginning as much more merriment, mirth and mischief for the big night itself will be announced over the coming months as we get closer to the biggest and best party on the planet. Tickets to join the live audience will go on sale next month, details of which will be available at bbc.co.uk/rednoseday soon, plus of course viewers can join the fun on BBC One from 7pm on Friday 24 March, produced by BBC Studios.
Other TV treats include brand new show, Let’s Sing and Dance, presented by Mel and Sue. The Saturday night extravaganza that will see celebs taking to the mic and busting out some moves as they have to sing as well as perfect the iconic dance routines from some of pops biggest hits.
Comic Relief is also nurturing a future generation of comedy geniuses as it launches the Red Nose Day Comedy Classroom, a new joke writing competition and literacy campaign for kids, from BBC Learning, Comic Relief, Blue Peter and the National Literacy Trust. The competition aims to encourage children to have a giggle in the classroom and enter their best three jokes for the chance to see them performed live on a special Blue Peter programme for Red Nose Day, judged by a panel including Richard Curtis and Miranda Hart. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/comedyclassroom.
This year’s Red Noses are a right bunch of characters, including Dr. Nose, Sneezecake, The Snorcerer, Snuffles, DJ Boogie, Norse Nose, Snootankhamun, Sniffer and Nose-it-all! They’re all available to find in surprise bags from Sainsbury’s and Oxfam. Plus, a lucky few could also snaffle up the ultra-rare silver Frankinose, which unlocks exclusive content in the Comic Adventure.
There’s also a host of famous faces modelling the brand new official Red Nose Day T-Shirt range, including David Walliams and Ellie Taylor. They’ve been created by renowned photographer Rankin and feature a selection of unique, quirky and quintessentially British animal portraits including Coco the Cat, Albert the Bulldog and Charlie the Horse. The T-shirt collection is available online at tkmaxx.com and rednoseday.com from 1st February and in TK Maxx stores nationwide from 13th February.
ENDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Red Nose Day Media Team:020 7820 2500media@comicrelief.com(opens in new window)Press area07984510473 (out of hours only)
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a UK charity which aim to create a just world, free from poverty – where everyone is safe, healthy, educated and empowered. Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1 billion. That money has helped, and is helping, people living incredible tough lives, both here at home in the UK and across the world.
For information about Comic Relief and the work it carries out, please visit comicrelief.com.
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
For the latest news, statements and exclusive content direct from the Comic Relief Press Office follow @ComicReliefNews(opens in new window).
