Comic Relief launched in 1985 with its founders - Sirs Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis - vowing to put the fun into fundraising.
The charity’s annual Red Nose Day TV appeal on BBC1 has helped raise over £1.5 billion both here and abroad and this year Red Nose Day celebrates 40 years of Comic Relief with a star-studded birthday bash!
Here's everything we know about Comic Relief 2025...
Comic Relief 2025 release date
Red Nose Day 2025 airs on Friday, March 21 from 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Comic Relief 2025 hosts
Helming the unmissable evening of hilarious sketches, special performances and showstopping music acts live from BBC Media City in Salford will be the all-star lineup of Davina McCall, Alison Hammond, Joel Dommett, Alesha Dixon, Rylan, Tom Allen, AJ Odudu and Jonathan Ross, who co-hosted the very first Red Nose Day telethon in 1988.
"I presented alongside Sir Lenny Henry and Griff Rhys Jones and it was incredibly exciting," recalls Jonathan.
"I still remember Richard and Lenny taking me to lunch to tell me about their plans. I’m thrilled I got to be involved and that it became a huge success. I feel lucky to be part of this year’s Red Nose Day - it’s a great way to commemorate!"
Comic Relief 2025 sketches and special spin-offs
A much-loved part of every Red Nose Day TV appeal, there will be parodies of all your favourite BBC shows, including:
Strictly Come Dancing
Comedians Russell Kane and Rachel Parris are taking part in Strictly... well, sort of. They'll be appearing as two surprising new dancers in a hilarious sketch for Comic Relief.
The funny pair will portray Johnny and Melissa, two unlikely newcomers who take on the challenge of joining the Strictly professional line-up in the wake of new inclusivity rules, which require a certain percentage of professionals to be... amateurs!
Filmed in observational documentary style, the skit follows Johnny and Melissa through the audition process as they land their dream jobs as Strictly’s first-ever amateur professional dancers. In a sad twist of fate, though, both their celebrity partners pull out of the show at the last minute, citing identical 'injuries'. Can Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman hatch a plan so that everyone 'keeeeps dancing'?
Russell Kane says: “After physio, red light therapy, sports massage, heat rub, and an acupuncture mat session - I’m really looking forward to my spine taking part in Strictly for Red Nose Day. [Typed while lying down.]"
Not Going Out meets Beyond Paradise
Sally Bretton, who plays both Lee's wife Lucy in Not Going Out and DI Humphrey Goodman’s wife Martha in Beyond Paradise, takes on both roles in a hilarious mix-up of mistaken identities.
As Sally is joined by her onscreen husbands, Lee Mack and Kris Marshall, the sketch sees the characters’ worlds unexpectedly collide, setting the stage for a comedy of errors that’s not to be missed.
"It was great fun to have the two worlds collide, play my own doppelganger and get swept up in the madness that comes with that," says Sally.
"It was particularly special to be doing it all for such a brilliant cause as Comic Relief. The sketch was filmed at such high speed, we didn’t know if we were coming or going. I don’t know how Lee Mack holds all the moving parts in his head. We all had a great day filled with fun, confusion and belly laughs."
EastEnders
While Red Nose Day's Night of TV is about having fun, EastEnders wants to add a serious note to proceedings with an exclusive five-minute episode, made especially for Comic Relief, to focus on Phil Mitchell's mental health difficulties and the importance of being able to access treatment.
For the past few months, EastEnders’ Phil (Steve McFadden) has been at the centre of a gripping mental health storyline which saw his character reach a crisis point as he tried to take his own life in EastEnders 40th anniversary week when his depression with symptoms of psychosis took hold.
Whilst at the mental health unit, Phil makes friends with a patient called Andy (Jake Rory) who reveals details of his time at a homeless youth hostel, and the pair soon realise they have more in common than they first thought.
EastEnders and Comic Relief have consulted with Brandon Centre, a Comic Relief-funded charity in North London, which offers youth mental help support, to ensure the storyline has been handled as sensitively and as accurately as possible.
The special episode will debut exclusively in Comic Relief: Funny For Money on Friday 21 March. It will follow a special EastEnders episode, airing on Thursday 20 March at 7:30pm on BBC1 and 6am on BBC iPlayer, focusing on Phil’s journey over four weeks in the mental health unit and guest-starring Keith Allen as patient Gaz.
Gladiators
Putting the 'G' into Gladiators, Kurrupt FM’s self-appointed manager Chabuddy G is getting up close and personal with your favourite TV warriors for an exclusive Red Nose Day 2025 showdown.
Full of confidence, Chabuddy G (Asim Chaudhry) - the star of cult BBC3 mockumentary People Just do Nothing - arrives at Sheffield Arena convinced he’s about to join the ranks of the mighty Gladiators. But his dream of arena domination is short-lived when he discovers he’s not a Gladiator at all – he’s a contender whose first challenge is a head-to-head duel with none other than human powerhouse Bionic.
"It was amazing filming this sketch with the Gladiators gang for Comic Relief," says Chabuddy G. "A lot of people don't know this but the G in Chabuddy G actually stands for Gladiator!"
Can Chabuddy G hold his own, or will Bionic’s pugil stick bring his dreams crashing down?
Don’t miss a minute of the action – tune into Red Nose Day 2025 on Friday 21 March from 7pm on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.
Oasis: The Reunion: The Movie?
What if Hollywood turned the story of rock band Oasis into a blockbuster film? Well, Comic Relief has done just that in an exclusive sketch for Red Nose Day 2025 featuring none other than Inbetweeners stars James Buckley and Joe Thomas as infamous Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel.
Expect high drama, sibling showdowns, and unexpected celebrity cameos, all wrapped up in a heavy dose of Britpop nostalgia, iconic 1990s music moments, and cheeky humour in this hilarious parody charting the brothers' journey from Manchester lads to global rock Gods.
Adding to the fun will be a host of familiar faces including Hugh Dennis, Martin Lewis, Micky Flanagan, Vernon Kay, Mark Silcox, Tasha Ghouri, Melvin Odoom, Roisin Conaty, and Piers Morgan, all stepping into memorable roles from the band's legendary rise to stardom.
"I had such a fun time with Joe, making this sketch for Comic Relief, and was honoured to be asked to be a part of it. Being a huge Oasis fan, getting to be Liam for the day was a dream come true," says James, with Joe adding: "I grew up watching Comic Relief and the big sketch was always a highlight of the night. So it’s both thrilling and nerve wracking to be a part of it."
Tune in to catch the 'reunion' on Red Nose Day's Night of TV on March 21 from 7pm. You Definitely (Maybe) don't want to miss it!
We'll update this page as more sketches and special performances are announced.
In the meantime, here's a dose of Comic Relief nostalgia with the iconic 1997 performance which saw French & Saunders and friends team up with The Spice Girls on their hit Who Do You Think You Are?
Which celebrities be taking part in Comic Relief 2025 challenges?
A host of famous faces will be putting themselves under pressure to raise money for this worthy cause.
They are:
Radio 1's Ultra Marathon Man: Jamie Laing for Red Nose Day, Monday-Friday, BBC Radio 1
Jamie Laing attempts to run an ultra marathon every day for five days to raise cash for the charity. Kicking off at 7am on Monday in London, the Made in Chelsea star hopes to reach the finish line in Salford on Friday night, just in time to celebrate the 40th birthday bash.
BBC Morning Live: Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge, Thursday, 9.30am, BBC1 & iPlayer
Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are lacing up their retro roller boots to undertake a 24-hour roller-skating endurance test in aid of Comic Relief!
Accompanied by soundtracks from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, the presenting duo will begin their epic feat on Morning Live on Thursday, skating around the clock into Red Nose Day on Friday.
What else can we expect on the night for Comic Relief 2025?
Comic Relief: 40 Years of Funny, Friday, 10.40pm, BBC1
As the appeal continues on BBC2, Emma Willis and Asim Chaudhry present Red Nose Day’s best bits from the archives with classic moments from comedy greats such as French and Saunders, Alan Partridge, Mr Bean, Peter Kay and Catherine Tate. Plus, there’s a fun look back at the charity’s singles.
Appeal films
Amongst the laughs on the night, viewers will of course be reminded of how their donations continue to help a whole range of Comic Relief-funded projects, supporting those dealing with issues like homelessness, food poverty and domestic abuse.
"At its core, Comic Relief taps into something wonderful about human nature – the desire to help others," says Jonathan. "The variety of people the charity supports and the impact it has, both in the UK and abroad, means you know your donation is helping in multiple ways."
How can I donate to Comic Relief 2025?
Donate to Comic Relief by visiting the official Red Nose Day website.
Behind the scenes and more on Comic Relief 2025
Comic Relief is a UK charity that uses the power of entertainment and popular culture to work towards a vision of a just world free from poverty.
It raises money to support organisations that are closest to the communities who can make change happen. It supports work that will tackle the impact of poverty, injustice, conflict, and climate change in the UK and around the world.
Since launching in 1985, the charity has raised over £1.6 billion thanks to the huge generosity and kindness of the public and our partners. For more information on the charity's work, visit www.comicrelief.com or follow @comicrelief on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok for the latest content and news.
