Red Nose Day 2024 to include Alan Partridge and The Traitors
- BBC One's Red Nose Day coverage on Friday 15th March will be hosted by Lenny Henry, Joel Dommett, Davina McCall, Paddy McGuinness, Romesh Ranganathan, David Tennant, Maya Jama and Rosie Ramsey
- Alan Partridge returns with a very special guest on his regional radio show; and French & Saunders deliver a message
- The Traitors: The Movie will be one of the sketches; and the cast of a famous TV show reunite to find Sir Lenny's replacement
Details of the BBC One programming planned to coincide with Red Nose Day 2024 have been revealed.
The fundraising show will be broadcast live from Salford on Friday 15th March from 7pm, with Lenny Henry hosting for the final time. He'll be joined by Joel Dommett, Davina McCall, Paddy McGuinness, Romesh Ranganathan and David Tennant, with Maya Jama and Rosie Ramsey making their hosting debuts on the show.
The BBC promises "a star-studded line-up of sketches, live performances and special surprises [which will] will bring audiences together to raise a laugh and vital funds for important causes", plus the return of Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge.
Other highlights from the "fundraising bonanza" will include the cast of a famous TV show reuniting to find Sir Lenny's replacement host and an all-star line-up in The Traitors: The Movie.
The BBC explains: "Bringing together some of the nation's best comics and entertainers, the big night of TV will feature exciting sketches, including a very special audition process to find Sir Lenny Henry's replacement host. Alan Partridge returns with a very special guest on his regional radio show, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders reunite with a hilarious Red Nose Day message, and who will be cast as the iconic Claudia Winkleman in The Traitors: The Movie?
"The cast of Just For One Day, the Live Aid musical, will perform a special medley and celebrities from across the nation put their comedy bones to the test by telling jokes. PLUS, live appearances by darts sensation Luke Littler, money maestro Martin Lewis and the Gladiators!
"Audiences have an exciting opportunity to win huge prizes during the night. Chris Evans and CarFest have already announced that they will be donating an Aston Martin - the same model as featured in the James Bond film Die Another Day - for one lucky winner to win on the night."
More information on the night including sketches and musical performances will be revealed in due course, but it had already been reported that Sir Lenny Henry would be bowing out, and that the child cast members of Outnumbered are reuniting for the show.
Speaking about why viewers should tune in to Comic Relief, Lenny Henry says: "Because it's going to be chock-a-block full of content, all of your favourite presenters and loads of special surprises. It will probably be the best night of my life because it's my last year hosting and I know there's going to be loads of surprises. So, you have to tune in for that. Plus, all the incredible films that the brilliant team create and put so much hard work into. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Other related Comic Relief programming confirmed includes:
Comic Relief: A Whole Lotta Lenny
Broadcasting at 10:40pm, after the News, Alex Jones and Lenny Henry present "a rollicking 60 minute romp celebrating Sir Lenny's epic decades-long stint hosting Red Nose Day".
Sir Lenny Henry says: "While this will be my last year of presenting Red Nose Day, I'll still be involved in other Comic Relief projects throughout the year. But I think it is time to hand over the onscreen reins to some new names. This year the show is going to be chock-a-block full of content and all of your favourite presenters."
Snow Going Back: Comic Relief vs the Arctic
Airing on BBC One on Monday 11th March at 9pm, this documentary will follow Sara Davies, Vicky Pattison, Alex Scott and Laura Whitmore as they set off from the edge of the unforgiving Arctic Circle, to embark on Comic Relief's coldest ever challenge.
Red Peter
Coming to CBBC on Friday 15th March at 5pm, Blue Peter is once again being renamed Red Peter for a Red Nose Day special. "The world's longest-running children's TV show has a jam-packed Red Nose Day extravaganza in store, including dressing up and in true Blue Peter style, a challenge! Can presenters Abby, Joel and Shini turn three landmarks 'red to toe' in just three days?"
CBeebies Bedtime Story
Airing at 6:50pm on CBeebies on 15th March, comedian and actor Lenny Rush reads Not Now Bernard by David McKee.
To find out more about donating to Red Nose Day or buying Comic Relief merchandise, visit bbc.co.uk/rednoseday