James Corden

James Corden becomes father of a baby boy

Just a few days ago he was seen affectionately placing his hand on his pregnant fiancée's huge bump in anticipation of meeting his first child.

Another laughable (in a good way) telethon from Richard Curtis and friends hosted by Fearne Cotton, Jonathan Ross et al, and featuring sketches and silliness from James Corden, the cast of Outnumbered, Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan and Armstrong & Miller to name but some. Most exciting-sounding is a Downton Abbey spoof featuring Ade Edmondson, Victoria Wood, Kim Cattrall, Harry Enfield and Joanna Lumley. And the special Red Nose Day edition of MasterChef, which will, if there's any justice, feature Gregg and John trying to perform simple tasks while contestants tut smugly.

Comedy, music and good causes - it can only be the show that makes you laugh until you give.

Harry Hill, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Ant and Dec and Armstrong and Miller are all doing something funny for money this year, along with the casts of The Inbetweeners, Outnumbered and Miranda.

We can also look forward to a specially shot mini-episode of Doctor Who, and James Corden will be back with the third instalment of his iconic Smithy trilogy - calling in favours from some very big names in showbiz.

Corden will also be one fifth of Fake That - a tribute band which boasts the talents of David Walliams, Alan Carr, Catherine Tate and John Bishop.

Never fear, though, the real Take That will be performing too. In fact, the night's going to be awash with boy-bands, as JLS are in the studio and it's The Wanted's turn to do the official Comic Relief single, Gold Forever.

The music line-up also includes chart-busting Adele, Annie Lennox, Elbow and Gareth Malone, who will be trying to turn some TV chefs into a Comic Relief choir.

Your hosts through this comedy marathon will be Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton, Claudia Winkleman and Fearne Cotton.

There have been 12 Red Nose Days since 1988, helping to raise more than £500million to help needy people in the UK and abroad.

There'll also be films from David Tennant, Jack Dee, Ruth Jones and Comic Relief stalwart Lenny Henry, each providing frequent reminders of how your money can help change people's lives for the better.

It's Red Nose Day, which means only one thing: rip-roaring laughter and top telly treats, presented by TV favourites Lenny Henry, Fearne Cotton, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross and Claudia Winkleman.

Highlights include a feast of unmissable sketches from the likes of James Corden, the cast of Outnumbered, Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan and Armstrong & Miller.

There are also Comic Relief specials of Masterchef and The Choir and unforgettable music performances from some of the biggest names in the industry. The night is sprinkled with plenty of reminders of why it's all happening: to raise money to change the lives of extremely vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa.

Get your credit card out, make the phone call, pledge the money. Then you can sit back, guilt-free, and enjoy the funniest evening on telly since oooh, probably the last Red Nose Day. Anyone who's anyone from the world of comedy is on BBC TV tonight. There's funny stuff by Lenny Henry, Graham Norton, Peter Kay, Harry Hill and James Corden, and a road trip in the company of The Inbetweeners around the rudest places in Britain. There's also a mini episode of Doctor Who featuring two Amy Ponds, a special edition of Outnumbered and a Downton Abbey spoof. Adele sings live, and in a celebrity MasterChef Miranda Hart and Claudia Winkleman go head to head, which ought to be a physical impossibility. We also get a special version of The Choir, Gareth Malone's foolhardy bid to get celebrity chefs to sing Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. In between all this are sobering film clips reminding us what it's all about and a ten-minute edition of EastEnders resolving the disturbing story about teenage prostitution.

James Corden on how he bagged a Beatle for Comic Relief

James Corden is told that Sir Paul McCartney would like to speak to him. "Yeah. OK," he says, outwardly quite cool, inwardly all over the place. Then, a few days on, he hears that the former Beatle will call him shortly.

The build-up has been going on for weeks with everything from a "rude road trip" by the stars of The Inbetweeners to Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton's daring Battersea Power Station highwire act, and a gruelling challenge that saw nine stars trek for five days across the Kaisut desert in Kenya. So, what can top that as the bi-annual charity fundraiser takes over the airwaves tonight?

Well, with a presentation team that includes Michael McIntyre, Lenny Henry, Graham Norton, Fearne Cotton, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Bridges, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, James Corden and Jack Dee there are certainly lots of laughs in prospect. There's a host of one-off sketches to look forward to from Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan, Armstrong & Miller and the cast of Outnumbered. There are also Comic Relief spin-offs of MasterChef and The Choir, and special outings for Doctor Who and EastEnders.

As well as all that, there are performances from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including George Michael and Boyzone, and reminders why it's all happening, with reports on how the money raised in previous years has benefited the underprivileged in Africa and here in the UK. Of course, amid all the chaos, everybody's eyes will be fixed on the cash counter clocking up every pound raised by volunteers and fundraisers. In 2009 Comic Relief raised £80 million.

James Corden in Dr Who: Who's the daddy?

Footage from the filming of Doctor Who's sixth series seems to show that James Corden's character has become a dad - just three weeks before his real life tot with fiancée Julia Carey is due.

Host James Corden and regulars Georgie Thompson, Freddie ­Flintoff, John Bishop and Jamie Redknapp return with a new series of the sports-based panel show.

This week's guests are the brilliant Jimmy Carr and darts player Phil "The Power" Taylor. Although due to funnyman John monopolising the screen time, if it wasn't for a section of the show being dedicated to darts you might not realise Phil was even there. Not that we're complaining - ­everything that comes out of John's mouth is comedy gold. The show is now, at one hour, "bigger and longer" than before. And, says James, "it might even be better".

We'd have to agree. I''s just gag after gag, many of them at the expense of one Mr Redknapp.

There's even a "smash it", although not followed by the expected shot of Jamie (perhaps he didn't ­appreciate being the butt of that joke).

As well as laughing, you'll learn some interesting facts, including how many Didier Drogba air fresheners have been sold, why tennis ace Roger Federer's attempts at merchandising are even tackier than that, how ­comedians are stronger than ­footballers, and that if Benidorm's Madge should ever lose her mobility scooter she should probably check Freddie's garage.

A third series of the sports quiz that makes A Question of Sport look square and stilted. Not that A Question of Sport needs any help. The banter feels a lot closer to how sportspeople really talk - letting them swear is a good start - but it's the stunts and games that make it. Highlights of last year's run included series regulars Andrew Flintoff and Georgie Thompson answering quick questions for as long as their team-mate Jimmy Carr could bear to sit in an ice bath, and Phillips Idowu leaping over all five other panellists, plus host James Corden, Evel Kneivel-style. Of course it isn't funny all the time, and moving to hour-long episodes seems risky, but the moments when it flies are worth waiting for.