Comic Relief has announced how much money they earned for Red Nose Day 2024.
Not only did the event feature special appearances by Julia Roberts, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, and Liam Neeson, as well as a musical performance by Paloma Faith and a parody of The Traitors, but it was also Sir Lenny Henry’s final time co-hosting the annual broadcast.
The 65-year-old actor from Dudley co-founded Comic Relief in 1985 with Love Actually scriptwriter Richard Curtis and will continue to serve as its life president after leaving as host.
He announced his resignation earlier this year, claiming he ‘never believed we’d still be here today.
“I figured we’d probably do three concerts and that would be it, but fast-forward nearly 40 years, and that energy and willingness to stand up and assist others has never faltered,’ Sir Lenny added.
How much did Comic Relief raise on Red Nose Day 2024?
Revealing the Red Nose Day total during the show on BBC One, Sir Lenny said: ‘Red Nose nation. Your generosity has brought tonight’s total, so far, to a phenomenal £37,019,832.’
The first total of the night was revealed to be £21,700,628.
Money raised by Red Nose Day goes towards organisations helping to tackle homelessness, poverty and mental health along with other causes in the UK and throughout the world.
Comic Relief is a UK charity that aims ‘to help put food on plates, roofs over heads and keep little ones safe’.
How much did they raise last year?
Last year, the charity raised more than £30,000,000, with a three-hour live show including sketches with The Traitors and Kylie Minogue.
For the first time without Sir Lenny, the show was hosted by Doctor Who star David Tennant and presenters AJ Odudu, Joel Dommett, alongside Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball.
How much have they raised since 1985?
Sir Lenny co-hosted the inaugural Comic Relief event in 1988, which raised £15,000,000 over eight hours of TV comedy.
Since then, Comic Relief has raised almost £1.5 billion in donations.
Davina McCall told Sir Lenny he was ‘irreplaceable’ as she reflected on his legacy last night.
‘On behalf of all of us here tonight, and of course the entire nation, I’ve got to say you are 100% totally, utterly – am I right when I say – he’s irreplaceable,’ she said.
He added: ‘I don’t want to make too much fuss, it’s been an honour and a joy… it’s so not about me, it’s about the mirth and the money, it’s about comedy and compassion.’
Elsewhere on the show, the cast of spoof comedy series W1A, including Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville and Spaced actress Jessica Hynes, reunited to search for a new host and Steve Coogan appeared as his alter-ego Alan Partridge alongside comedian and actor Tim Key.
There was also a special musical appearance from the West End stage show Just For One Day, based on the 1985 benefit concert Live Aid, organised by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.
Meanwhile, in a music video, Sir Lenny claimed that he would transform 10 Downing Street into a ‘dope ass Premier Inn’ while performing a pastiche of the Oscar-nominated song I’m Just Ken from the hit film Barbie.
Following his final role as Red Nose Day host, the comedian performed I’m Just Len and considered becoming prime minister while dressed in a white fur coat and blonde wig.
Following the video’s release, Sir Lenny quipped that he had planned the song ‘long before’ Barbie actor Ryan Gosling sang it at this year’s Academy Awards.
Comic Relief 2024 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.