[JMT1985]

I feel with Comic Relief now on every year, there will be a continued problem with content - they really do need a kick up the arse, we need more comedy back on the show, that is the whole point of it, and what makes it different from Children in Need.

What can be done to bring more comedy back to the event? Is it just the fact that there are less comedy shows and performers around now to fill the three hour of telethon?

I also like to point out, that back in the early years of Red Nose Day, quite a lot of the night was filled with clips from classic BBC comedies of the 1960s and 1970s, such as the 1991 event which I read and saw they were airing clips from Monty Python, Dad's Army, Morecambe and Wise and the Two Ronnies.

[VMPhil]

I do think the fact that it's on every year means there are going to be fewer new ideas - we've had a Traitors parody two years on the run now for instance. The two year gap meant they had enough time for new movies or TV shows to appear for parodying.

[Brekkie]

I also wonder if going annual has hastened Lenny's decision to leave - it's a much bigger commitment being available to host every year.

Agree the show needs to move forward rather than look back but with it about to hit it's 40th anniversary that'll be hard to resist. Think it's 40 years next year since Comic Relief was founded but think 1988 was the first Red Nose Day.

[Transmission]

I feel with Comic Relief now on every year, there will be a continued problem with content - they really do need a kick up the arse, we need more comedy back on the show, that is the whole point of it, and what makes it different from Children in Need.

What can be done to bring more comedy back to the event? Is it just the fact that there are less comedy shows and performers around now to fill the three hour of telethon?

I also like to point out, that back in the early years of Red Nose Day, quite a lot of the night was filled with clips from classic BBC comedies of the 1960s and 1970s, such as the 1991 event which I read and saw they were airing clips from Monty Python, Dad's Army, Morecambe and Wise and the Two Ronnies.

Agree there needs to be more comedy. I know why they get the West End shows performing for example, it's an easy few minutes of entertainment that costs nothing more than a quick plug, but that sort of thing really belongs on Children in Need. Mawaan Rizwan, who opened the BBC Two section of the show, did more the sort of musical performance that should be on Comic Relief.

The fact there are fewer comedy shows certainly doesn't help, but there are still a lot of comedy performers out there. Quite a lot of it seems to be played safe, I don't know how much has to do with it ending earlier so there's less room for a bit of late-night oddness. Plus like everything else, comedy audiences are so much more fragmented these days, so the likes of Vic & Bob or Father Ted which were thought of as "cult" comedies at the time were still loved by millions, while a few years back Toast of London, beloved by comedy fans, absolutely died on Comic Relief.

There is still a lot of comedy out there, much of it online both in video and podcast form, so maybe they should look to that a little more for the later portions of the show. Get James Acaster and Ed Gamble in to do some live Off Menu or something like that.

It must be a difficult thing to put together, I'm sure.

[JMT1985]

Was it just me, or was the Alan Partridge sketch just flat? I again think with no laughter from the audience included, it felt even more flat.

[Stooky Bill]

There was a lot more actual comedy content in the years they hosted it at The Palladium and the O2 Dome. The Palladium in particular had a great atmosphere to it, and a massive audience capacity.

Thing is it's never going to go back to the shambolic, unplanned, rough and ready style of the first few Red Nose Days. TV is different, the audiences are different, fundraising is different


Incidently I did really like the Live Aid musical segment last night. When they explained about the origins of Comic Relief I did find it a bit strange as everyone remembers Live Aid... but then I remember I'm old and there's been several generations since!

[Brekkie]

Fundraising itself seems to be quite different as people are quite happy too, and arguably prefer too, just donate to a cause without having to sit through a charity event or sponsor someone for a specific event. Even a decade ago people doing their own fundraising would fill your socials on Red Nose Day, and doing a bit more than just a bake sale or non-uniform day, but just looking at the media posted on Twitter yesterday and there are very few signs of the public getting involved.

[Andrew]

Do schools still do Red Nose Day?

I know at work we don’t as the company will generally have a defined charity or charities that all bake sales etc will go towards across a whole year. Generally a national recognised one and something more local. There is also more of a focus towards mental health charities, rather than broad brush ones.

Also to add to that Friday has been WFH since COVID in any case

I also feel selling red noses through Amazon rather than Sainsbury’s was a mistake, as it’s one thing picking some merch up whilst doing your weekly shop, but it’s another making a specific order with Amazon. Controversial but the noses are less satisfying since they stopped using single use plastic as well.

[Brekkie]

Do Sainsburys still sell them as well as they raised about £9m last night?

[London Lite]

I don't remember seeing a single product about Comic Relief this year in Sainsbury's. Not even red noses by the self checkouts.