1. The big show…Comic Relief: Funny For Money
On Friday 18 March the big fundraising extravaganza that is Comic Relief is back. The list of presenters alone reads like the guest list of a top celebrity party; expect to see Kevin Bridges, James Corden, Fearne Cotton, Lenny Henry, Davina McCall, Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, Jack Whitehall and Claudia Winkleman on presenting duties on the night.
2. Let’s Dance For Comic Relief is back!
The show that gave us Robert Webb Flash Dancing and saw Rufus Hound Fight For This Love returns with a brand new bunch of celebrities who’ll recreate some iconic dance routines. This year Alex Jones joins Steve Jones to present the show, while the celebrity dancers include Lulu, Caroline Flack, Ade Edmondson, Toyah Wilcox, Clare Grogan, Limahl, Noel Fielding, Russell Kane, Ed Byrne and plus a few more. The judging panel will include Keith Lemon, Miranda Hart and Felix Dexter. The smart money has to go on a comedian, and we reckon Ade or Noel could win it. The show begins on 19 February.
3. Lots of funny people will make us laugh
As you’d expect on Comic Relief lots of funny people are doing funny things to encourage us to part with our cash. The Inbetweeners have already been on their Rude Road Trip (see this week’s heat for a behind the scene feature, and you can see how the guys get on with footage available to buy exclusively from iTunes www.itunes.co.uk now) and we can expect comedy treats from Gavin And Stacey’s Smithy, Miranda Hart, Outnumbered and some famous TV chefs who’ll be singing Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.
4. Famous, Rich And In The Slums
Comic Relief does of course have a serious side; new two-part BBC One documentary Famous, Rich And In The Slums promises to be moving and thought provoking. Lenny Henry, Angela Rippon, Reggie Yates and Samantha Womack swap their comfortable lives in the UK to experience what it’s like living in Africa’s largest urban slum. If this doesn’t make you cough up some cash nothing will.
5. Get your hands on a Vivienne Westwood design
As well as red noses (which have once again been re-designed), you can get your hands on an actual Vivienne Westwood piece, as the iconic Brit designer has created a range of eight t-shirts for Comic Relief. The shirts are available at TK Maxx and www.rednoseday.com where you can also buy a red nose. You can also pick up a red nose at Sainsburys.