Comic Relief returns for another night of doing something funny for money as the first major fundraising event of the year gets underway.
Red Nose Day as it is commonly known takes place on Friday March 15 with its live telethon airing on BBC One from 7pm.
The TV special will bring together some of the biggest stars for a night of comedy and entertainment in order to raise money for the British charity which aims to transform the lives of vulnerable people and communities throughout the UK and internationally.
Hosts Lenny Henry, David Tennant, Zoe Ball, Emma Willis, Romesh Ranganathan, Paddy McGuinness, Alesha Dixon, Rob Beckett, Clara Amfo and Joe Sugg will all take to the stage on presenting duties as viewers at home a treated to special sketches and performances whilst being encouraged to dig deep for an important cause.
When did Comic Relief start?
Comic Relief was founded by scriptwriter Richard Curtis, the mastermind behind Four Weddings and a Funeral, and comedian Sir Lenny Henry with charity worker Jane Tewson coming up with the idea to use comedy to raise money and change lives in Africa and the UK.
It was officially launched on the Noel Edmonds' Late, Late Breakfast Show on Christmas day in 1985.
The first Red Nose Day didn't take place until 1988 when more than 150 celebrities and comedians rallied together with a special programme featuring the Young Ones on University Challenge and a special Blackadder sketch.
What does Comic Relief do?
Comic Relief is a major charity based in the UK and its aim is to just create a world, free from poverty, transforming the lives of vulnerable people and communities throughout the UK and internationally.
And the way the try to do that is through entertainment in return for donations.
How much has been raised so far?
The first live telethon took place in 1988 where £15 million was raised.
On the last Red Nose Day in 2017 the grand total raised was £82,154,943 and to date, Comic Relief has raised more than £1 billion since it started in 1985
What has Comic Relief been able to do?
The charity has a long history of creating change.
They were the first grant-makers to focus on supporting disabled people to have their own voice and their work was able to help change rights for disabled people in the UK.
By working with other charities, Comic Relief were the first to help establish a 24/7 helpline dedicated to domestic violence with the first free National Domestic Violence Helpline arrived in 2003.
