Comic Relief launch new nose ahead of Red Nose Day on 17th March
Comic Relief have revealed a brand new "magically transforming" Red Nose ahead of 2023's Red Nose Day.
The charity explains: "Over the past year, Comic Relief's famous round icon has been through the most dramatic makeover since its debut in 1988. Designed by Jony Ive, the creative genius behind Apple's most sought-after products, this truly is a Red Nose like no other.
"Made almost entirely from plant-based materials, the Red Nose starts as a tiny, flat crescent and springs into a beautiful honeycomb-paper sphere. It is now available to buy on Amazon, the new home of the Red Nose."
To celebrate this "new chapter" for the Red Nose, Richard Curtis and Sir Lenny Henry - the co-founders of Comic Relief - have teamed up with Diane Morgan to make a video to debut the nose:
Red Nose Day is scheduled for Friday 17th March, with AJ Odudu and Joel Dommett set to join the existing presenting team of Zoe Ball, Paddy McGuinness and David Tennant on BBC One. The channel promises "an unmissable evening of comedy, live music, exclusive prizes, and plenty of surprises".
Highlights are set to include Kylie Minogue featuring in a special episode of Ghosts (the sketch was originally planned for 2022 but delayed) and "a hilarious parody of Love Island will see a very unexpected contestant looking for love."
Talking about the team that have designed the nose alongside him, Jony Ive says: "We've grown up with Comic Relief and are proud to support their remarkable work. This new and seemingly simple Red Nose has been a fabulously complex little object to design and make and has involved our entire team. We hope it brings a little moment of joy to everyone who wears one."
Richard Curtis says: "The Red Nose has always been a tiny thing that makes a huge difference. It's been on quite a journey over the past three decades and has transformed in the most wonderful ways - from a slightly painful piece of plastic to a tomato to a sponge to woodland themed creatures. Now we enter a new era and are delighted to bring you a completely new Red Nose to enjoy, thanks to our friend the design genius, Jony Ive.
"One thing that will never change though, is that when you buy a Nose you help to change lives. We know times are tough for many people right now, and I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supports us this year. We really hope you enjoy our new Nose and wear it with pride this Red Nose Day, knowing the difference you are making."
To find out how to get involved in fundraising for Comic Relief and to "help people through the toughest times of their lives" visit comicrelief.com