5 interesting facts about Red Nose Day

Red Nose Day, or Comic Relief as it is commonly referred to, is a biennial event that brings comedians and celebrities together in order to raise money and awareness for those in need. Initially starting in 1988, the event has raised millions of pounds each year through corporate and public donations. Initially inspired by the fund raising efforts seen during Live Aid, the Red Nose Day creators seeked a similar event using comedy as the avenue of fundraising.

Right from the very first Red Nose Day in 1988, several prominent comedians have become synonymous with event such as this year’s host, Lenny Henry - who also hosted the very first Red Nose Day in 1988! There are lots of interesting facts about Red Nose Day, and we’ve listed five of them!

1. Since starting in 1988, Comic Relief has raised an impressive £1,047,083,706. To date, the highest amount raised for any one Red Nose Day is £108,436,277, which was raised in 2011. The total figures also include money raised from Sport Relief, a Comic Relief focused sporting event that incorporates famous sporting stars as well as the general public.

2. Since it started in 1988 there have been 24 official singles released in aid of Comic Relief, with proceeds from each single going directly to the charity. The list of artists involved is equal parts impressive, as it is varied featuring artists such as; Spice Girls, The Proclaimers, Cliff Richard, Mcfly and Susan Boyle. This year’s single will include Ed Sheeran, alongside comedians from the BBC Three show, Kurupt FM.

3. In 2015, the first official American Red Nose Day event took place featuring the former X-Files star, David Duchovny alongside Seth Meyers and Jane Krakowski. The show followed a very similar format to the UK counterpart, featuring skits and appearances from American celebrities and comedians.

4. In the run up to 1991’s Red Nose Day, Comic Relief ran a competition that involved young people creating a short movie highlighting issues such as homelessness and poverty. One young entrant decided to make a short animated film highlighting the difficulties that disabled people face when visiting public places - this entry would go on to win the competition. The winner was a young Edgar Wright, who would later go on to direct Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, among others.

5. The money donated to Comic Relief has helped fund over 17,000 projects in the United Kingdom alone. Worldwide the funding has gone towards fighting issues like malaria, AIDS/HIV, poverty, starvation and even domestic violence.

Red Nose Day has become a staple of British culture over the past 30 years, and with each passing event the country shows how willing it is to donate to those in need. Are there any interesting facts we have missed? Or do you have a favourite Red Nose Day memory? Please let us know in the comments below.