Our Story
Comic Relief was launched live on BBC ONE on Christmas Day 1985 from a refugee camp in Safawa, Sudan, in response to the African famine. As well as doing something about that very real and direct emergency, we were determined to help tackle broader needs of poor and disadvantaged people in Africa and the UK.
We began with a few live events, drawing support from across the comedy community until the first Red Nose Day, in 1988, which instituted the unique union of comedy and charity on national television. This first big night of television was presented by Lenny Henry, Griff Rhys Jones and Jonathan Ross, and raised more than £15 million!
Since then the organisation has gone from strength to strength, raising nearly £500 million since 1985, with events including 11 Red Nose Days and 3 Sport Relief days.
Sport Relief 2006 raised £18 million; while Red Nose Day 2007 raised a whopping £67 million.
Over the years, Comic Relief cash in Africa has educated people about HIV and AIDS, taught women to read, immunised children and helped people rebuild their communities after conflict. Across the UK it has helped disabled people challenge prejudice and discrimination, supported older people in their fight to get their rights recognised and provided escape routes for women living with domestic violence.
Our success has been a tribute to the enduring generosity of the general public and to the unflinching, heroic support of many hundreds of comedians and others across the media and corporate worlds.
