Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day fundraiser saw a drop of a million TV viewers compared to last year.
According to overnight figures, an average of 2.6 million viewers tuned in to the BBC programme as Comic Relief marked its 40th anniversary with comedy sketches on Oasis reforming, Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, and Beyond Paradise.
Last year, Sir Lenny Henry’s final time co-hosting the star-studded annual appeal drew an average of 3.6 million viewers, an increase from 2.9 million in 2023.
Advertisement The BBC reported that the 2025 edition reached a peak audience of 3.4 million, a drop from last year’s 4.3 million. The 2023 show also peaked at 3.4 million viewers. This year’s Red Nose Day aired on BBC One from 7pm to 10pm, then shifted to BBC Two for 40 minutes before returning to BBC One from 10.40pm to 11.40pm.
Meanwhile, on ITV1, England’s World Cup qualifier against Albania aired from 7pm to 10.05pm, with the Three Lions securing a 2-0 victory.
This year, Comic Relief announced that £34,022,590 had been raised to support communities by providing food, healthcare, and shelter to those in need. Last year, the charity reported a total of £38,631,548 shortly after the event ended.
Read More: Red Nose Day Raises More Than £34 Million For Comic Relief On 40th Anniversary
Donations are expected to increase as the fundraiser total continues to rise following Red Nose Day’s broadcast. Hosting this year’s event were TV presenters Joel Dommett, Rylan Clark, Alison Hammond, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Tom Allen, Alesha Dixon, and AJ Odudu.
One sketch featured The Inbetweeners stars James Buckley and Joe Thomas reuniting as Oasis bandmates Liam and Noel Gallagher, who are urged by their managers to call each other after learning they are broke.
The actors also reenacted “that ticket fiasco,” with former Good Morning Britain star Piers Morgan portraying “Ticket Master.” The controversy over dynamic pricing made headlines after fans complained about inflated costs when Oasis tour tickets went on sale last year.
A memoriam-style segment featured former One Direction star Liam Payne and drag queen The Vivienne among the celebrities remembered.
During the night, McCall grew emotional as she reflected on “quite possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.”
I had a pretty mad year this year. Doctors found a benign brain tumour, by chance, and after a lot of deliberating, I had it removed,
she shared
The 57-year-old became tearful and paused as she acknowledged the support of her family and partner, Michael Douglas. Comic Relief co-founder Sir Lenny also looked back on the charity’s 40-year journey in a pre-recorded video.
He reflected on the charity’s beginnings after “a devastating famine in east Africa” in the 1980s and highlighted key moments, including the launch of Sport Relief in the 2000s and efforts in the 2010s to combat malaria.
After revisiting these milestones, Sir Lenny urged: “Please keep doing what you can to help, because doing good never gets old.”
Over the past 40 years, communities, workplaces, schools, and families have helped raise more than £1.6 billion, supporting over 100 million people, according to Comic Relief. Sir Lenny co-founded the charity in 1985 alongside Love Actually screenwriter Richard Curtis.
Source: Pinkun