Amelia Dimoldenberg and Joanna Lumley star in a brand-new sketch released today to mark the official launch of Red Nose Day 2025, which returns on Friday 21 March.
Bringing together two beloved voices of comedy, the witty and deadpan Amelia Dimoldenberg is joined by the absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley, in a new sketch that hopes to inspire the nation to come together and do something funny for money this Red Nose Day. The exclusive online sketch is available to watch now on YouTube and is a joyous reminder that whether it’s 1985 or 2025, doing good never gets old as Comic Relief begins to celebrate its 40th birthday year.
Within the sketch, viewers see Joanna Lumley – who has volunteered to star in some new content to launch the upcoming Red Nose Day campaign – awkwardly interrupted by Chicken Shop Dates’ own Amelia Dimoldenberg. Unbeknown to Joanna, Amelia has been entrusted with the tongue-in-cheek role of ‘vibes check’ by Comic Relief – to ensure the charity remains as fresh and relevant in 2025 as it has done for the past 40 years. Mixing nostalgia with Joanna’s ever-charming elegance and Amelia’s distinct blend of dry humour and sharp wit, the sketch serves up an entertaining contrast that celebrates the power of comedy and compassion as an ever-evolving way of inspiring joyful generosity.
Amelia Dimoldenberg said: “Comic Relief is something I’ve grown up with all my life, so I was naturally thrilled to be asked to take part in helping to launch this year’s Red Nose Day campaign. And that was before I knew it was going to be alongside the one and only Joanna Lumley – I mean, what an honour! It’s such an important cause that has helped inspire so much positive change for 40 years now, but we know there’s so much more we can do to help. Whether it’s big or small every donation counts, and it’s just a great thing to be involved in with regardless, because not only are you raising money for an incredible charity, you’re having fun while doing it.”
The launch of Red Nose Day marks the start of an exciting milestone year for Comic Relief, as the charity kick-starts its 40th birthday celebrations in 2025. Together with the unwavering support of the nation, Comic Relief has been using the power of solidarity and silliness since 1985, to help tackle some of the most urgent problems faced by people here in the UK and across the world.
For 40 years, communities, schools, nurseries, workplaces, and families have all come together year after year to help to raise over £1.6 billion that has supported over 100 million people. Thanks to the public’s enormous generosity, Comic Relief has been able to work with fantastic organisations who are supporting communities by providing food, essential healthcare and safe shelter to the people who need it most – as well as so much more.
But as the world keeps changing, the difficult situations many find themselves in change too. With so many people facing the toughest times of their lives, this year’s Red Nose Day is an opportunity to come together once again and go big on the joy and laughter whilst helping to raise vital funds to support people who are being forced to make truly impossible choices, every single day. Because changing lives for the better is needed as much today as it was in 1985.
Joanna Lumley said: “Red Nose Day is something that has always appealed to people for one simple reason – it’s sensational. We’ve been treated to so many fantastic, silly, and ridiculous things over the years; you can’t help but want to get involved and have some fun. Most importantly, we all want to make a difference and help others however we can, because that’s the way we are. For 40 years Comic Relief has been a constant in all our lives, bringing us together to help inspire change around the world and here at home. It’s lovely, I adore it. One might even say it’s absolutely fabulous.”
With a host of fun-filled and exciting activity in store, today, Comic Relief is excited to reveal just some of the ways the public can get involved and enjoy this year’s Red Nose Day campaign…
Live on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Friday 21 March, this year’s Red Nose Day night of TV will invite viewers to join the nation for a nostalgia-fuelled evening of live performances, star-studded sketches, hilarious comedy, spectacular fun and so much more. Swapping her mid-mornings for an unmissable evening, Alison Hammond will be donning her Red Nose and hosting for the very first time, alongside AJ Odudu, Alesha Dixon, Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Rylan, Tom Allen, and Jonathan Ross – who presented the very first Red Nose Day night of TV back in 1988. Broadcast live from Media City UK, Salford, comedy and entertainment’s biggest night of TV will be essential viewing for the whole family.
This year’s Red Nose merchandise celebrates 40 years of Comic Relief, with classic designs from each of the past four decades – the 80s, 90s, noughties, and 2010s – up for grabs. There are also two new Noses making their Red Nose Day debut this year, including a very special Rare Ruby Nose, a sparkling addition to the classic line-up, and a Cupcake Nose – because it wouldn’t be a birthday without cake. Every Nose is soft, plastic-free and made from plant-based materials and are guaranteed to raise joy and laughter as well as life changing money to tackle some of the urgent problems faced by people in the UK and around the world. Supporters can get their Red Noses from Amazon now, the official home of the Red Nose. The Red Nose collection and selected merchandise will also be available in Amazon Fresh stores from 26 February. Some of the famous faces to get their noses on this year’s Red Nose range include Aston Merrygold, Big Zuu, Dani Dyer, Ed Gamble, Fats Timbo, Jo Brand, Joel Mawhinney, Sam Quek and Scott Mills. Jo Brand said: “I think it’s really important for everyone to get involved more than ever these days because life hasn’t been easy for a few years and just getting together with people and thinking that you’re helping people out that have been struggling in whatever way they are – and a lot of people are struggling these days – is just a fantastic thing to do.”
To celebrate a whopping 20 years of chari-tees, Comic Relief’s wonderful partners TK Maxx are helping to bring back seven amazing collaborations. This is a line-up like no other, featuring Aardman, Charlie Mackesy, Disney, Mr. Men Little Miss, Peter Blake, Rachel Joy and Rankin. Shop your fave designs in TK Maxx stores and online at tkmaxx.com and www.comicrelief.com/shop.
In celebration of this extra special birthday year, one lucky person is guaranteed to win a coastal property in Norfolk worth a staggering £6 million – along with £250,000 in cash – as part of a new prize draw raising funds for Comic Relief. The winner of the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Norfolk, will get the keys to a New England style 3-bedroom property inspired by the architecture found in Cape Cod and the Hamptons. With stunning views of the North Norfolk Coast, it features an all-weather tennis court and heated pool. To be in with the chance of winning Omaze’s biggest ever Grand Prize House Draw visit the Omaze website.
In the lead up to Red Nose Day, a special documentary featuring all the up-close drama of Billy Monger’s mammoth IRONMAN challenge for Comic Relief will air on BBC One and iPlayer. The documentary will follow Billy’s bid to become the youngest ever double leg amputee to complete an IRONMAN World Championship, in Kona, Hawaii, all in support of Red Nose Day. Having undertaken 12 months of intensive training, Billy faced an extraordinary challenge, including a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 112-mile bike ride in fierce crosswinds, and a 26.2-mile run in the Hawaiian heat, all while striving to break the IRONMAN World Championship course record for a double leg amputee. Support Billy in his bid to raise money for life-changing Comic Relief-funded projects by donating here.
Whether it’s tuning into a spectacular night of TV, baking a cake, buying a Red Nose, picking up some of the official merchandise, entering an ‘Omaze-ing’ prize draw, or supporting one of our epic challenges – there’s a whole host of ways to have a laugh, get involved and make a difference this Red Nose Day. With your support, money raised by Red Nose Day could help put food on plates and roofs over heads, keep little ones safe, and help support families affected by conflict.
Much more will be announced over the coming weeks.
Red Nose Day returns on Friday 21 March and there are lots of ways to take part. To find out more, visit www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday
