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.
Episode menu
Comic Relief 2023
General Timings
7pm - 10pm: Comic Relief 2023
10pm - 10:30pm (BBC Two): When Comic Relief Did Big Brother
10:40pm - 11:40pm: The Best of the Best Bits. Highlights from 35 years of Red Nose Day.
Exact Timings
19.00: Pre-filmed sketch in which Lenny Henry morphs into David Tennant in the style of Doctor Who.
19.01: The five hosts introduce what is coming up, and explain that Lenny Henry is not hosting for the first time as he is tied up with another project. David Tennant, Joel Dommett and AJ Odudu then host this section.
19.06: Zara Larsson performs her single Can't Tame Her.
19.09: Ghosts special with Kylie Minogue. Episode record
19.18: Appeal film about Alzheimer's.
19.24: Martin Lewis explains Gift Aid.
19.26: Blackadder highlights.
19.27: Dragon's Den stars Deborah Meaden and Sara Davies judge Lego models made by school children.
19.30: Baldrick's Bedtime Story.
19.36: Feature on Gethin Jones dancing for 24 hours, with him appearing in the studio for it to be revealed he raised £1,192,298.
19.40: Rosie Jones introduces an appeal film about supporting disabled people abroad.
19.46: Giovanni Pernice meet a choir, and picks one of the members to dance with him.
19.48: Eurovision sketch. Graham Norton, Lulu and Sam Ryder are the judges. After a phone call with ABBA star Björn Ulvaeus, they see auditions from Miranda Hart, Jamie Dornan, Fleur East, Owain Wyn Evans, Zara Larsson, a Dalek, Bono (via video link) and Dick & Dom. Dermot O'Leary is backstage to give hugs.
19.55: Eurovision competition.
19.58: Part 2 of the Eurovision sketch. This time: S Club 7, Lost Voice Guy, Gordon Ramsay, Tony Hadley, Fred Sirieix, Brotherhood Of Man (Nicky Stevens, Sandra Stevens and Lee Sheriden), Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Ed Sheeran (via video).
20.05: Mo Farah talks about human trafficking and slavery.
20.10: A thank you to Amazon for selling the Red Nose, raising £2,710,504.
20.11: Newsreaders read jokes. Featuring Sophie Raworth, Clive Myrie, Charlene White, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Kay Burley, Susanna Reid, Piers Morgan, Richard Madeley, Charlie Stayt, Naga Munchetty, Huw Edwards and Mishal Husain.
20.14: Mrs Doubtfire The Musical.
20.21: A thank you to Sainsbury's.
20.23: Appeal film about homelessness, featuring Prince William.
20.28: Giovanni Pernice and Rachel dance.
20.32: Oti Mabuse (who took part in the Red Nose Day Challenge) reveals a total of £19,082,835.
20.34: Odudu and Dommett depart, a tease of what is coming up, and then Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball join Tennant.
20.36: B*Witched perform.
20.41: The Traitors sketch. Dawn French plays Claudia, with those seated around the table being Alison Hammond, Stephen Merchant, Ellie Simmonds, Ewan McGregor (in character as Obi Wan Kenobi), Big Zuu, Rosie Jones, Guy Fawkes, Mary Berry, Danny Dyer, The Traitors stars Maddy Smedley and Wilf Webster, Jennifer Saunders, Anne Robinson, David Gandy and Claudia Winkleman.
20.51: A film explaining where some of Comic Relief's money goes.
21.00: Troy Hawke greets TK Maxx customers, and it is revealed the chain has raised £1,800,309.
21.02: Stath Lets Flats special. Episode record
21.10: Film about how Comic Relief money was used in Ukraine.
21.16: It's revealed the challenge in which Emma Willis, Oti Mabuse and Rylan's challenge to reach the summit of Cairn Gorm Mountain raised £501,726, followed by a video from British Airways revealing they'd raised £1,076,946.
21.18: Love Island sketch featuring Chabuddy G.
21.26: Chris Evans introduces a competition to win the Jaguar car once owned by the Queen.
21.29: It's revealed Radio 1 DJ Arielle Free raised £591,486 for her 50 hour cycling and DJ challenge.
21.30: Flo & Joan sing a song to celebrate 35 years of Comic Relief.
21.36: Appeal film about Holding Hearts, a charity project that helps children who have experienced grief.
21.42: Part 2 of the Love Island sketch featuring Chabuddy G and Maya Jama.
21.48: Announcement that KFC raised £828,500.16.
21.49: Lenny Henry presents a film about famine in Africa.
21.53: Tom Grennan performs, as the programme plays a montage of scenes from appeal films.
21.58: Grand total of £31,952,141.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Friday 17th March 2023
- Time
- 7pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 180 minutes
- Recorded
-
- Friday 17th March 2023, 19:00 at Dock 10 (MediaCityUK)
- Wednesday 15th March 2023, 18:50 at Dock 10 (MediaCityUK) (Comedy Pre-Record)
- Thursday 16th March 2023, 17:00 at Dock 10 (MediaCityUK) (Mrs. Doubtfire Musical - Music Pre-Record)
Cast & crew
| Paddy McGuinness | Host / Presenter |
| David Tennant | Host / Presenter |
Videos
The Traitors
In a special parody of the hit psychological gameshow, The Traitors, a star-studded roundtable gathers to decide who should be banished. Claudia Winkleman (played by Dawn French) assembles the celebrity 'Faithful' and 'Traitors' for a discussion full of twists and turns. Which famous faces will be under the cloaks and who will be revealed as the ultimate Traitor?
Featuring: Rosie Jones, Dawn French, Alison Hammond, Stephen Merchant, Ellie Simmonds, Ewan McGregor, Big Zuu, Tom Stourton (Guy Fawkes), Mary Berry, Danny Dyer, Maddy Smedley, Wilf Webster, Jennifer Saunders, Anne Robinson, David Gandy & Claudia Winkleman.
Eurovision
The UK may have found its Eurovision entrant for this year, but before the big night, the judging panel will have to sit through aspiring celebrity auditions... of varying quality.
Featuring: Zara Larsson, Graham Norton, Lulu, Sam Ryder, Björn Ulvaeus, Miranda Hart, Dermot O'Leary, Jamie Dornan, Fleur East, Owain Wyn Evans, Bono, Richard McCourt & Dominic Wood.
Lenny Henry regenerates into David Tennant
Lenny Henry regenerates into none other than The Doctor himself, David Tennant.
Featuring: David Tennant & Lenny Henry.
Flo & Joan - 35th Birthday Song
Flo & Joan celebrate 35 years of Comic Relief's TV broadcasts, via the medium of a song.
Featuring: Flo & Joan, Flo & Joan & Flo & Joan.
Baldrick's Bedtime Story
Baldrick sits down to read us a Bedtime Story, based on Cinderella.
Featuring: Tony Robinson (Baldrick).
Chabuddy G is the new Love Island Villa Bombshell
Chabuddy G enters the Love Island villa - but will any of the islanders' heads be turned, and will Maya Jama know how to handle him at the recoupling?!
Featuring: Asim Chaudhry (Chabuddy G) & Maya Jama.