Red Nose Day
In the beginning...
Launched live on BBC ONE on Christmas Day 1985 from a refugee camp in Sudan, Comic Relief began with a few live events, drawing support from across the comedy community.
The first Red Nose Day hit our screens three years later in 1988 with Lenny Henry, Griff Rhys Jones and Jonathan Ross presenting the show and raising an amazing £15 million!
Since then there have been ten Red Nose Days that have raised a further £415 million. Red Nose Day 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.
This has all been possible thanks to the generosity of the general public and to the support of comedians and others across the media and corporate worlds.
Red Nose Day 2007 – The Big One
held on Friday 16 March was a massive success with over £67 million raised.
