Jack Whitehall

A boon for those feeling starved of James Corden on our screens, as he and the gang return with a new series of the sports challenge show, with Red and Blue teams pitted against one another in the usual series of challenges. These include everything from a game of one-on-one football in zorb suits to a matchmaking game involving improbable celebrities including Steven Gerrard and Kim Cattrall, culminating in a speed quiz/assault course combo. Guests include Jamie Redknapp, Freddie Flintoff, Jimmy Carr and Jack Whitehall.

James Corden returns to referee the seventh season of the knockabout sports quiz that, thanks to its success, has pulled in a bigger budget - and they're gonna use it.

So if the prospect of comedy rally driving, bouncing around in plastic balls and a military assault course involving Jack Whitehall, Jimmy Carr and team skippers Andrew Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp sounds like your idea of fun, then this is the show for you.

Think Top Gear meets Total Wipeout.

From Please Sir! to Jack Whitehall's Bad Education, schools are a magnet for the sitcom gang.

The latest to answer the ringing of the bell is David Walliams, taking half-term break from teasing Simon Cowell to play lovestruck chemistry teacher Keith Church.

The object of the bumbling Keith's affections is la belle Miss Postern (Catherine Tate), the flame-haired new French teacher who doesn't actually know much French.

With Philip Glenister as a randy PE teacher, Frances de la Tour as a mean headteacher, Joanna Scanlan as a lesbian drama teacher and a scandalously under-used Daniel Rigby, the cast is top-notch - even if the jokes are a little old school.

Dance sensation Diversity puts a spring in the steps of Chatty Man Alan Carr, national charmer Miranda Hart and Idiot Abroad Warwick Davis, who've rashly decided to shake a leg - Ashley Banjo-style - as their contribution to this evening of fundraising action for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity for children. Other funny faces putting their happy feet forward for the cause include comedian Kevin Bridges, who takes a pop at the more furtive pursuits of his fellow Scots, and TV regulars Russell Brand, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Rich Hall and Paddy McGuinness. Among those putting in an appearance on VT are surreal loon Noel Fielding and Jack Whitehall.

The raucous annual stand-up bonanza in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital comes once again from the O2 in London.

When the live gig was held a couple of weeks ago, one critic described it as "Live at the Apollo on steroids". In other words, expect big, booming, arena-style stand-up from an all-star roster. Jack Whitehall, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Noel Fielding and Jason Byrne are among the long list of comics donating gags to the cause.

Diversity open the show with a dance routine into which Alan Carr, Miranda Hart and Warwick Davis insert unexpected cameos. Lee Evans airs a routine about EasyJet. Russell Brand goes walkabout among the crowd. Rich Hall jokes about child labour ("Clothes make the man but kids make the clothes").

And unsurprisingly the recurring theme is the year's revelations about Jimmy Savile and other stars - everyone has an angle on that one.

Jack Whitehall on his godfather, Richard Griffiths

Comedian Jack Whitehall pays tribute to the much-loved actor Richard Griffiths - his godfather and a man he could always trust for sound advice.

Opinion: Is comedy getting too posh?

There is already a sign that comedy is getting posher. Miranda Hart and Jack Whitehall spring to mind, but there are others on the horizon too.

Jessica Hynes rocks RTS Awards with outrageous speech

Twenty Twelve actor has room full of TV stars in hysterics with epic, sweary speech mocking Jack Whitehall.

I managed to get an exclusive sneak preview of what Jessie J might look like once she's had her head shaved tonight. It's not great, to be honest.

What I did is, I put Jessie's photo into the hugely amusing Bald Booth app on my iPhone, which magically shows you what anyone will look like as a slaphead. And a few seconds later - hey presto! - there she was, smooth as a pickled egg.

Well, almost. The snag is, this ingenious app doesn't actually erase the hair on either side of a person's head, just on top, so Jessie ends up looking more like my Uncle Norman.

I can't imagine that's the look she'll be hoping for tonight. Having said that, you don't catch my Uncle Norman complaining.

As for the other highlights of tonight's marathon, they include Ricky Gervais returning as David Brent, Jack Whitehall going head-to-head with Micky Flanagan in a special MasterChef, Simon Cowell getting married, sort of, and One Direction treating us to their offcial Comic Relief single, Pledge Fifty Quid And You're Allowed To Give Each Of Us A Good Slap. To donate, call 03457 910910.

That's Jessie J under the swirl of shaving foam, and the reason she's posing like the queen of the Oompa Loompas is that she'll be shaving her hair off as part of tonight's culmination to Red Nose Day. Yes, it's time for the stunts and dares and unlikely comedy mash-ups to reach their bubbling live climax.

As ever, we can expect unmissable moments delivered by an almost obscenely starry line-up. Presenters include Michael McIntyre, Rob Brydon, John Bishop, Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and (careful, now...) Russell Brand. Ricky Gervais will bring David Brent out of retirement. There are mini-eps of Call the Midwife and Fresh Meat, a cook-off between Jack Whitehall and Micky Flanagan, and of course a new novelty pop promo from Peter Kay.

The trick for viewers is to flash the cash early. Text the donation line or get out the credit card at an early stage, then relax as the night rolls by. You'll never make it through all those heartbreaking appeal films if you don't know your money's on its way.