Sir Lenny Henry proudly shows off the latest red nose design
Comic Relief’s famous Red Nose has undergone its “most dramatic makeover” since debuting in 1988 after being redesigned by former Apple guru Sir Jony Ive.
The new nose is made almost entirely from plant-based materials and starts as a tiny, flat crescent that springs into a honeycomb paper sphere when opened.
Sir Jony, chief design officer of Apple Inc from 1997 until 2019, helped develop the company’s flagship devices including the iPod, iPhone and MacBook during his tenure.
Money raised from the appeal will support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty.
Comic Relief co-founders Richard Curtis and Sir Lenny Henry have enlisted actress and comedian Diane Morgan to make a tongue-in-cheek short film launching the new product.
In it, Morgan compares the design to Earth before hailing the importance of “the perfect circle” and describing how the new model is “the most perfect nose in history”.
Famous faces including TV presenter AJ Odudu, stand-up comic Sindhu Vee, presenter Amanda Holden, pop singer Frankie Bridge, radio DJ Greg James, The Repair Shop star Jay Blades and comedy actress Miranda Hart were among the first to try on the new nose.
Asked what the public would make of it, Curtis told the PA news agency: “I hope they’ll love it. I hope they’ll be greedy for it, I hope it’ll become an absolutely mass, must-have item.
He added: “I’ve got this motto in life, which is to make things happen, you have to make things. And that’s always been the sort of Comic Relief thing. So I hope it’s a big hit.”
Speaking about what Comic Relief has meant to him in his life, Curtis said: “It’s been an enormous confirmation of the goodwill of the British public.
“I always believe that if you open a door, an easy door for people to do the right thing, then millions of people pour through it.
“And I think that all the comedians, so many actors, every year we shock ourselves by suddenly getting, you know, Dame Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbatch to help us.
“But mainly the British public, with their generosity at every turn, in terms of fundraising, buying things and watching the TV show.”
Sir Jony said: “We’ve grown up with Comic Relief and are proud to support their remarkable work.
“This new and seemingly simple Red Nose has been a fabulously complex little object to design and make and has involved our entire team.
“We hope it brings a little moment of joy to everyone who wears one.”
Meanwhile, James told the Standard: “Weirdly, apart from my parents, Red Nose Day is the biggest constant in my life. Since I was about five, I was obsessed with it at school, I would be obsessed with all the Noses. Then when I got the chance to work with Red Nose Day and Comic Relief quite a few years ago, I just jumped at the chance, and I’ll never leave. They will never get rid of me.
“I’ve had so many great times with Comic Relief and Red Nose Day. We’ve done trips, built hospitals – I’ve even done stupid challenges on bikes and climbed mountains. We’ve been involved in loads of Radio 1 things. We’ve done the LOL-a-thon which was just 24-hours of jokes. We’ve done so much. Some of my favourite life memories have been involved with Comic Relief.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the world has been quite sad, particularly over the last three to four years. So, anything that brings people together is a great thing and Red Nose Day focusses everyone’s attention. It’s a great moment to just look outward – which is something a lot of people forget to do. When you’re stressed and sad and panicking about your own life you sometimes forget to look out. So, Red Nose Day is a great reminder to look outward and help somebody else.”
Red Nose Day returns on Friday March 17 with Odudu joined by David Tennant, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball as presenters on BBC One.
The night will see Kylie Minogue feature in a Ghosts sketch and an unexpected contestant looking for love in a Love Island parody.
The new nose is being sold on Amazon and the Comic Relief website.
