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Comic Relief Raises £11.5M in Star-Studded Telethon

3/21/2026

47 5 Full Breakdown

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Comic Relief Raises Funds

Comic Relief: Funny For Money aired from MediaCityUK in Salford, hosted by Davina McCall and Joel Dommett.
The show included 'The Bank Job' sketches with Idris Elba, Alison Hammond, and Dermot O'Leary.
Catherine Tate opened with a musical number and cautioned viewers against dangerous stunts.
The telethon raised over £11.5 million for food, shelter, and safety initiatives.
For the first time, the event was live-streamed on the BBC's YouTube channel.

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Comic Relief Hosts Fundraiser

The BBC's Comic Relief fundraiser returns at 7 PM, hosted by Davina McCall and Nick Mohammed.
A special sketch and Greg James's 1,000km bike challenge are highlights.
At 9 PM, Monty Don returns to Gardeners’ World on BBC Two, offering gardening tips.
The conclusion of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man shows Tommy Shelby facing new threats in 1940 as his son allies with a British fascist.

History

Historical Context

The inaugural Comic Relief telethon in 1988 raised £1 million for famine relief in Ethiopia, marking a significant shift in media's role in charity. Following the success of earlier telethons like the ITV Telethon, which raised over £23 million in 1988, this event established a trend in the UK for using entertainment to address social issues, influencing future fundraising efforts.

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Comic Relief Raises Funds

Comic Relief: Funny For Money aired from MediaCityUK in Salford, hosted by Davina McCall and Joel Dommett.
The show included 'The Bank Job' sketches with Idris Elba, Alison Hammond, and Dermot O'Leary.
Catherine Tate opened with a musical number and cautioned viewers against dangerous stunts.
The telethon raised over £11.5 million for food, shelter, and safety initiatives.
For the first time, the event was live-streamed on the BBC's YouTube channel.

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