Comic Relief 2023 kicked off on Friday night for the first time without Sir Lenny Henry, who co-founded the charity fundraiser in 1985.
The opening scene saw Sir Lenny regenerate into David Tennant as the 14th Doctor in a sketch. Introducing the annual charity show, Lenny was in the dressing room and said he felt “sick” before adding: “What I need is a doctor”.
Just as he says the word doctor, viewers saw Lenny regenerate as his hands started to glow before recreating 13th Doctor Jodie Whitakers iconic scene transforming into the Scots actor. Tennant, 51, appeared on screen in his brand new Doctor Who costume as he is set to return to the BBC sci-fi show later this year.
“What? What? What? I’m going to be hosting Comic Relief?” the Scots actor says, before running out of the dressing as the show’s famous music plays in the background. Tennant then appeared on the main stage in a dapper red and black patterned suit as he gears up to host the annual charity show.
Appearing from Salford’s MediaCity on BBC One, Tennant said: “For the first time in Comic Relief’s history, we are flying without our captain, Sir Lenny Henry. He is in the thick of another project, but before he regenerated, he did make a little film for us and you’ll see that later on.”
As the show kicks off, pop superstar Kylie Minogue appeared in the first sketch of the night with the cast of BBC sitcom Ghosts. The singer and her agent, played by Tanya Moodie, arrived at the haunted Button House to see if it is a suitable concert venue which shocked the supernatural inhabitants.
The ghosts gathered around the All The Lovers singer before describing her as “beautiful as her verse” and “rather fabulous”, before Minogue revealed she was able to see the ghosts.
“You know the roller skating montage and the Spinning Around video? I had a fall, I banged my head and now I can see ghosts,” she said. The Aussie singer was forced to “prove” she was the real deal to the sceptical phantoms, though ultimately chose a different haunted venue.
She went on to sing her hit song I Should Be So lucky in the sketch alongside actors Mathew Baynton and Charlotte Ritchie.
Sir Tony Robinson also reprised his famous role as Blackadder sidekick Baldrick in a Comic Relief sketch. The 76-year-old read a hilarious bedtime story to viewers inspired by Cinderella accompanied with cartoon illustrations.
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