BBC/Comic Relief/Hearst Magazines UK/ITV Studios/FreemantleRed Nose Day has been celebrating 40 years of comedy and entertainment with a night of live TV from Salford.
Comic Relief: Funny for Money, is featuring a line-up of celebrity sketches, a performance from the Sugababes and other acts.
Some of the BBC’s biggest shows are being parodied in sketches, including Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, Not Going Out and Beyond Paradise.
As of 22:00 GMT, £32m had been raised for the charity.
BBC/Comic Relief 2025/Colin HopkinsHosting the action live from Salford are Rylan Clark, Alison Hammond, Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Alesha Dixon, Jonathan Ross, Tom Allen and AJ Odudu.
Taking the show back to the 80s – when Comic Relief was founded – the evening began with an 80s pop medley with Limahl from English band Kajagoogoo singing their hit Too Shy, before Carol Decker, from T’Pau, sang China In Your Hand.
Sir Lenny Henry, co-founder of Comic Relief, reflected on the charity’s 40th anniversary: “I can’t believe Comic Relief is turning the big 4-0. In some ways it feels like 1985 was, like, yesterday,” he said in a pre-recorded message on Friday’s show.
Kurrupt FM’s self-appointed manager Chabuddy G then stepped into the Gladiators arena for an exclusive Red Nose Day showdown.
Comic Relief has helped support communities by providing food, healthcare and shelter to those most in need.
Celebrities have already been taking on challenges for Red Nose Day, and earlier, BBC Radio 1 presenter Jamie Laing finished a 150-mile trip from London to Salford, raising more than £2m.
He hobbled on stage during the show to thank people for their donations.
“It was a long way, but it was an incredible journey. The people were amazing. The donations were amazing. You guys here are incredible,” he said.
Getty ImagesReality TV stars Pete Wicks and Vicky Pattison swapped their day jobs to be Amazon delivery drivers, to raise money for the charity.
Comedians Russell Kane and Rachel Parris portrayed Strictly Come Dancing’s first amateur professional dancers, selected due to the BBC One show’s “inclusivity rules, which require a certain percentage of professionals to be amateurs”.
They showed off their moves in a comical routine that appeared to impress the Strictly professionals, in a Miranda Hart-narrated clip.
There was an Inbetweeners reunion as James Buckley and Joe Thomas took on the roles of Liam and Noel Gallagher, in a parody charting their journey from Manchester lads to global rock superstars.
EastEnders worked with Comic Relief to produce a five-minute episode focusing on the character Phil Mitchell’s mental health and the importance of treatment.
Comedian Munya Chawawa headed to the West End to become actor Brian Cox’s new understudy in his critically acclaimed play, The Score.
You can catch up on all the Red Nose Day action on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Jordan Mansfield/Comic Relief
