A Night of Comic Relief

Picture: Lenny Henry in Africa for Comic Relief 1988

The first Night of Comic Relief happened on 5 February 1988. The eight hour telethon brought together everyone who was anyone – from Jim Davidson to Harry Enfield - in the world of British comedy, with brand new sketches and classic clips. The mix of laughter with hard hitting film inserts proved a potent combination and £15 million was raised for people in Africa and the UK.

Comic Relief was founded by Richard Curtis and Jane Tewson in 1985 - building on the success of Band Aid and Live Aid - to raise money using comedy as the carrot. The 1988 Night of Comic Relief was the culmination of years of work and became a biennial fixture in the schedules, broadcast on Red Nose Day. Lenny Henry and Griff Rhys Jones fronted the first night, with Jonathan Ross. It featured a new Blackadder episode - "The Cavalier Years" – and a special edition of Spitting Image that united the rubber puppets with their human counterparts, plus a New Statesman special in which "Alan B'Stard closes down the BBC".

Comic Relief has revolutionised the world of fundraising. Apart from Red Nose Day, Sport Relief and related shows like the Great Comic Relief Bake Off and Comic Relief Does the Apprentice ensure it keeps a high profile and the donations continue to pour in. The 2017 night raised £99 million and over its 30 plus years it has raised over one billion pounds.