Sir Lenny Henry will be retiring from hosting Comic Relief, stating that it is time for “new faces” after nearly 40 years leading the fundraising telethon since it began in 1985. The Red Nose Day broadcast will take place on BBC One on March 15th, following this year’s campaign. As an honorary life president of Comic Relief, Sir Lenny is eager to see new and returning faces step up to lead the organization into its next chapter.
The inaugural Comic Relief show was co-hosted by Sir Lenny back in 1988, raising £15m for charity in just eight hours with top stars performing TV comedy. Since then, the charity has raised more than £1.5bn, with funds contributed annually aiding efforts to alleviate poverty, provide food, healthcare, and secure shelter for people in need in the UK and worldwide.
This year’s fundraising efforts for the Red Nose Day broadcast will include a comedy night at the London Palladium on February 26th and a new sketch where Sir Lenny talks to celebrities, including Dame Joan Collins and Alison Hammond, about their fundraising plans. Aisling Bea, Joel Dommett, Fatiha El-Ghorri, Mawaan Rizwan, Rosie Jones, and Sara Pascoe will also be performing alongside Sir Lenny in the comedy night.
During his time at Comic Relief, Sir Lenny was instrumental in contributing to the efforts of the organization for many years. Although it is sad to see him leave his role as a Comic Relief fundraiser, his contributions and legacy will continue to be celebrated by the organization for years to come
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