Comic Relief
- TV variety
- BBC One
- 1988 - 2024
- 21 episodes
Every two years the biggest British comedy stars and shows come together to raise money for charity. Stars Lenny Henry, Jonathan Ross, Griff Rhys Jones, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and more.
- Due to return on 21st March 2025
Episode menu
Comic Relief 2017
Further details
Highlights included...
Red Nose Day Actually
A short sequel to Love Actually. Written by Richard Curtis and starring many of the original cast - including Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson and Keira Knightley - this special sequel catches up with the beloved characters 13 years after the original film, to see what they are up to today.
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Carpool Karaoke
James Corden welcomes Take That on board as he takes a spin around Los Angeles for an exclusive Red Nose Day special of Carpool Karaoke.
Peter Kay's Car Share
Peter Kay will be giving viewers an exclusive preview of the second series of his Bafta Award-winning comedy Car Share, plus he will be sharing exciting news about how Comic Relief will benefit from the new series.
Mrs Brown
Everyone's favourite Mammy, Mrs Brown, will be giving viewers a special never-before-seen preview of her upcoming BBC One chat show, All Round To Mrs Brown's.
Smack The Pony
For the first time since 2003, Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips reunite performing a series of sketches from the popular comedy show.
Middle Class Jeremy Kyle
David Walliams, playing middle class Jeremy Kyle, takes the REAL Jeremy Kyle to task in front of his baying studio audience. The accusation? That Jeremy Kyle has stolen all of Dom Littlewood's viewers from BBC One's Caught Red Handed... because Jeremy "shouts loudly at his guests".
Hecklers Anonymous
A sketch following a community support group trying their best to 'give up' their addiction to heckling. Starring Rebecca Front, Russell Brand and Frankie Boyle.
Philomena Cunk: Moment Of Wonder
Philomena Cunk delivers a special Moment Of Wonder focusing on charity. Starring Diane Morgan and featuring Richard Curtis.
This Country
The hottest new comedy on BBC Three takes a special look at Comic Relief through the eyes of Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe.
People Just Do Nothing
Chabuddy G arranges for MC Grindah, DJ Beats and the Kurupt FM crew to collaborate with a huge 'urban artist' on a special track for Comic Relief. But things don't quite go to plan when the urban artist turns out to be someone totally unexpected, Ed Sheeran. Part of the sketch has already been revealed online (Watch), but the world premiere of the music video will be shown exclusively on this night.
The Stotts Live
Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer bring back the jittery, bickering brothers from Shildon, to interview a special celebrity guest in The Stotts Live.
Toast Of London
Matt Berry voices an appeal film and meet's Clem Fandango's half-brother, who looks strangely familiar...
Greg Davies' Hot Tub Half Hour
Whilst the news is on BBC One, Greg Davies will be hosting a special segment over on BBC Two from a very unique location. The organisers say "all will be revealed, quite literally, from 10pm."
Graham Norton's Big Chat Live
After the news, Graham Norton welcomes a gaggle of guests to his ludicrously long supersized sofa in Graham Norton's Big Chat Live.
Russell Brand's Stand Off
From midnight, Russell Brand will be compering "a fabulous hour of fantastic comedy". This segment will include new stand-up from Brand too.
Fantastic Beats And Where To Find Them
The evening will finish with a highlights show. The BBC explains: "The laughs will keep coming well into the wee hours of Saturday morning as Noel Fielding and Jonathan Ross look back at some special Red Nose Day Musical Memories in Fantastic Beats And Where To Find Them.
Appeal Films
Throughout the evening there will also be a number of films showing the important work that Comic Relief funds, both in the UK and in Africa. It includes Billy Connolly talking about growing older and what people can do to help. There will also be a look at the Red Nose Convoy, in which Hugh Dennis, Michaela Coel, Russell Kane, Reggie Yates, Katy Brand and David Baddiel swapped their home comforts for life on the road, taking a journey from Kenya to Uganda.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Friday 24th March 2017
- Time
- 7pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 480 minutes
Cast & crew
| Lenny Henry | Host / Presenter |
| Jonathan Ross | Host / Presenter |
| Graham Norton | Host / Presenter |
| Rob Beckett | Host / Presenter |
| Romesh Ranganathan | Host / Presenter |
| Greg Davies | Host / Presenter |
| Joe Lycett | Host / Presenter |
| Luisa Omielan | Host / Presenter |
| Sally Phillips | Host / Presenter |
| Warwick Davis | Host / Presenter |
| Russell Brand | Host / Presenter |
| Noel Fielding | Host / Presenter |
| Miranda Hart | Host / Presenter |
| Richard Osman | Host / Presenter |
Videos
Red Nose Day 2017 is coming soon
Ian and Siobhan from W1A have been tasked with helping to think up a plan for marketing Red Nose Day 2017.
Featuring: Hugh Bonneville & Jessica Hynes.
'Cool' fundraising ideas
The team from W1A think up some ideas. There are better ways to fundraise for Red Nose Day.
Featuring: Sara Pascoe, Joel Fry, Alex Beckett & Jessica Hynes.
Ha Ha Land
The whole gang gets together for a brilliant musical opening all about fun and giving.
Hecklers Anonymous
A candid look at the world of heckling.
Almost carpool karaoke with French & Saunders
In one of three similar sketches they performed on the night, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders sing their heart out to Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
Is Catherine Tate bothered?
Lauren Cooper (Catherine Tate) meets Lenny Henry and Warwick Davis and lets them know what she thinks of Comic Relief.
Take That Carpool Karaoke
James Corden hops in the car with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen of Britain's biggest man-band, Take That.
Toast of London's Appeal Film
Stephen Toast lends a helping hand but he can't seem to get it right.
Smack The Pony returns
The Smack The Pony cast reunite for the first time in 14 years, especially for Red Nose Day.
Brett Domino explains what went wrong
Brett Domino had a number of technical issues in their late-night set as part of Red Nose Day 2017. Here, Rob J Madin explains what went wrong.
Alan Partridge's Red Nose Day Stonkers
Alan Partridge shares some of his favourite classic fundraising moments from Red Nose Day over the years.
Featuring: Steve Coogan.
Press
Comedian demands £10k from Comic Relief over plagiarism
Alias Cummins fired off a letter to the charity claiming an 'intellectual property dispute' over the Hecklers Anonymous skit that was broadcast during the Red Nose Day telethon.
Chortle, 12th May 2017Comic Relief complaints won't be investigated by Ofcom
Ofcom has announced it will not investigate complaints from viewers about this year's Comic Relief.
BBC, 24th April 2017Red Nose Day telethon sparks 151 Ofcom complaints
More than 150 viewers complained to Ofcom after Friday's (24 March) Red Nose Day telethon, it has been revealed.
Rachel McGarth, The Huffington Post, 28th March 2017Red Nose Day: Ofcom considering investigation into show
Language used before the watershed by Steve Coogan, a game of Innuendo Bingo and a sketch by Reeves and Mortimer have come in for particular criticism.
BBC, 27th March 2017Red Nose Day reprise was no laughing matter
The much-hyped Comic Relief sequel to Richard Curtis's film was a real let-down.
Barbara Ellen, The Guardian, 26th March 2017Red Nose Day Actually review
Despite all the celeb cameos the charity update of Richard Curtis's romcom was bafflingly weak. But ultimately its job wasn't to get laughs - it was to help people.
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 25th March 2017Red Nose Day Actually review
It's the ones who don't care about age who stay youngest. Forget the Botox, and just have a good laugh.
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail, 25th March 2017Red Nose Day Actually talking points
The showpiece featurette of Friday night's Comic Relief telethon was Red Nose Day Actually, a 12-minute mini-sequel to Richard Curtis's Marmite-effect 2003 romcom Love Actually. Here are all the talking points from the charidee reunion sketch...
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph, 25th March 2017Postscript: Comic Relief 2017
Red Nose Day raised over £71m for great causes around the world. But it was also a highly divisive evening for audiences.
Paul Holmes, The Velvet Onion, 25th March 2017Was this year's Red Nose Day Show a disaster?
What was interesting here was the disconnect between Edinburgh Fringe favourites and a mainstream BBC audience. What the former crowd adores the latter abhores.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 25th March 2017Richard Curtis on Alan Rickman and Red Nose Day
The screenwriter and director reveals how he reunited the stars for Red Nose Day Actually.
Richard Curtis, Radio Times, 24th March 2017Red Nose Day: what happens to my Comic Relief donation?
From bake sales to the bank and beyond, follow your money behind the scenes at the annual Comic Relief appeal and meet the team making it happen.
The Guardian, 24th March 2017Africa deserves better from Comic Relief
This biannual guilt trip perpetuates Band Aid stereotypes. Can we finally look at the issues behind the problems, and inspire anger as well as donations?
David Lammy, The Guardian, 24th March 2017The stage of the O2 in Greenwich is the new home for the Comic Relief charity fundraising extravaganza. Here the hosts include Lenny Henry, Jonathan Ross and Sally Phillips, while those doing a turn include Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer and Ed Sheeran. We can also look forward to James Corden's Car Pool Karaoke with Take That, Greg Davies over on BBC2 and the cast of Love Actually in Red Nose Day Actually. Dig deep.
Jonathan Wright, The Guardian, 24th March 2017