Comic Relief is watched by 3.6million viewers

Sir Lenny Henry‘s closing time co-hosting Comic Relief‘s star-studded Red Nose Day present was watched by a median of three.6 million viewers, in line with in a single day figures.

The annual fundraising programme, which featured a number of comedy sketches, musical performances and tributes to Sir Lenny, noticed a notable rise in viewers in comparison with final yr’s common of two.9 million.

It additionally garnered a peak viewers of 4.3 million, up from final yr’s 3.4 million, the BBC has stated.

Appearances from Hollywood actors and a efficiency by Sir Lenny throughout the present helped to increase £38,631,548 for Comic Relief to date, the charity has introduced.

Dudley-born actor Sir Lenny, who co-founded Comic Relief in 1985 alongside Love Actually screenwriter Richard Curtis, praised the general public for donating “so generously”.

Sir Lenny Henry ‘s closing time co-hosting Comic Relief ‘s star-studded Red Nose Day present was watched by a median of three.6 million viewers, in line with in a single day figures

‘My final time internet hosting the present has been extremely particular and I’m already desirous about what we will do to make subsequent yr, our fortieth anniversary, much more so”, he said.

‘The money raised tonight is phenomenal. For the British public to give so generously whilst struggling through a cost of living crisis is, for me, one of the most beautiful things about this country. We never stop caring.’

Sir Lenny co-hosted the show alongside Davina McCall, Love Island presenter Maya Jama, Doctor Who star David Tennant, actor and comedian Romesh Ranganathan, The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett, Take Me Out star Paddy McGuinness and podcaster Rosie Ramsey.

Reflecting on Sir Lenny’s legacy, McCall told the British TV star during the show that he was “irreplaceable”.

‘On behalf of all of us here tonight, and of course the entire nation, I’ve got to say you are 100% totally, utterly – am I right when I say – he’s irreplaceable,” she stated.

Sir Lenny stated: ‘I do not wish to make an excessive amount of fuss, it has been an honour and a pleasure… it is so not about me, it is in regards to the mirth and the cash, it is about comedy and compassion.’

The present additionally shocked Sir Lenny by filling the viewers with individuals whose lives had been positively impacted by his work with Comic Relief.

Addressing the viewers members, Sir Lenny stated: ‘It’s pretty to see you all, thanks a lot.’

McCall added: ‘We might’ve stuffed a thousand studios with individuals that you just and Comic Relief have helped.’

McFly opened the present with a medley of songs together with Walk This Way by Run-DMC that includes Aerosmith, One Way Or Another by Blondie, Uptown Girl by Billy Joel and the group’s hit tune All About You.

Elsewhere on the present, Hollywood actors together with Julia Roberts, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant and Liam Neeson made a particular look to argue amongst one another to be named essentially the most well-known in a comedy sketch.

The solid of spoof comedy sequence W1A, together with Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville and Spaced actress Jessica Hynes, reunited to seek for a brand new host and Steve Coogan appeared as his alter-ego Alan Partridge alongside comic and actor Tim Key.

There had been additionally musical appearances from Paloma Faith and the West End stage present Just For One Day, based mostly on the 1985 profit live performance Live Aid, organised by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.

A spoof of hit present The Traitors additionally aired, and confirmed celebrities together with comedians Catherine Tate, David Walliams and Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey enjoying contestants from this yr’s sequence.

In a music video, Sir Lenny joked he would flip 10 Downing Street right into a “dope ass Premier Inn” whereas singing a spoof of the Oscar-nominated tune I’m Just Ken from blockbuster movie Barbie.

The comic wore a white fur coat and blonde wig as he sang I’m Just Len and contemplated turning into Prime Minister, following his closing stint as host of Red Nose Day.

After the video aired, Sir Lenny joked he had been planning the tune “way before” Barbie actor Ryan Gosling carried out it at this yr’s Academy Awards.

Money raised by Red Nose Day goes in direction of organisations serving to to deal with homelessness, poverty and psychological well being together with different causes within the UK and all through the world.

Comic Relief is a UK charity that goals “to assist put meals on plates, roofs over heads and hold little ones protected“.