Comic Relief 2023: When is Red Nose Day?

When is Red Nose Day 2023?

The concept of Comic Relief is to get comedians to make the public laugh in return for donations. The fundraising drive culminates on Red Nose Day, which is a day where a telethon takes place and features big comedians of the day. But when is Red Nose Day 2023 and how can you take part? 

This year Red Nose Day will take place on Friday 17 March. It will be aired on the BBC. In recent years Red Nose day has taken place annually although originally it was a biannual event. Along with Children in Need, Red Nose Day is one of the biggest fundraising events on TV. To date it has raised over one billion pounds for Comic Relief.

What is Red Nose Day and when did it start?

Comic Relief was launched  in 1985 to fight poverty across the globe. 

The first Red Nose Day telethon took place three years later in 1988 and featured comedians including Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. Over 30 million people tuned in to watch ‘Blackadder – the Cavalier Years’ and the Young Ones on ‘University Challenge’. The telethon raised £15 million for Comic Relief. It was the start of what would become one of the biggest fundraising drives in the country, raising more and more money each year. Throughout its 40 year history the show has included appearances from Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to Catherine Tate and Peter Kay.

Red Nose Day raises funds for the charity Comic Relief. Since 1985, Comic Relief has expanded its work to launch multifaceted projects that help tackle poverty in the UK and across the globe. This year they have launched a special appeal to help those dealing with the rise in the cost of living as thousands of people in Britain struggle to stay out of poverty.

How much money has Red Nose Day raised so far?

Over the years Red Nose Day has raised over £1 billion for Comic Relief. From just a single night of fundraising millions are raised each year. Here is a breakdown of some of the key fundraising moments in Red Nose Day history.

• 1988 – £15 million raised during the first ever Red Nose Day 
• 1989 – Over £20 million raised 
• From 1991 – 2013 there was a steady increase year on year as interest in Red Nose Day increased. 
• 2013 was the most successful year on record for Red Nose Day fundraising with a whopping £108 million raised.
• From 2013 – 2022 there has been a steady decline in the amount raised on Red Nose Day  each year with £42.79 million raised most recently in 2022. However £42.79 million is still an impressive feat!

Where does the money raised for Red Nose Day go?

The money raised from Red Nose Day goes to the charity Comic Relief. Comic Relief works on multiple projects around the world focused on tackling poverty. This year they are focusing their relief  efforts in the UK to tackle the cost of living crisis. All of the money raised during this campaign will be to help charities and local groups supporting people who are going through very tough times. One example is Kennishead Larder, a food hub in Glasgow that helps many many families who are living on the breadline – particularly older residents and parents.

Comic Relief doesn’t just help those in the UK, their work goes beyond borders to help everyone in poverty. During the Covid 19 crisis they launched an emergency appeal to help communities across the globe who were worst hit during the pandemic. The charity also supports projects working on tackling racial inequality,gender justice, mental health and child poverty.

Is Comic Relief Red Nose Day still on TV?

The Comic Relief TV show airs on Red Nose Day on the BBC. The hosts are yet to be announced.  Traditionally comedians or TV personalities take on that role. Last year the hosts were Alesha Dixon, David Tennant, Zoe Ball, Paddy McGuinness and Sir Lenny Henry. The telethon is an integral part of the overall fundraising drive for Comic Relief and usually brings in the majority of the funds in a single night.

How to organise a Red Nose Day fundraiser

There is no set way to raise funds for Red Nose Day. People raise their funds from cake sales, non uniform days, and various other challenges.  Once you have decided how you want to raise money the next step is to raise the funds and GoFundMe is here to help. Read on to find out how you can have a successful fundraiser on GoFundMe

1. Set up your fundraiser

It couldn’t be easier to set up your Red Nose Day fundraiser. In just a few short minutes you can create your online fundraiser on GoFundMe and start collecting donations. Once you have decided how you want to fundraise for Comic Relief, you can create your fundraiser and set Comic Relief as your chosen charity. As you start collecting donations all the funds will automatically be sent to Comic Relief so you don’t have to lift a finger. It is important to create your fundraiser in advance of Red Nose Day to give yourself the best chance to raise those all important donations.

2. Spread the word and request donations

Once your fundraiser is up and running, the most important thing for you to do is to tell the world about your fundraising. Share your fundraiser link on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok and any other social platforms you use to get your story out there. And while you are sharing online, don’t forget about sharing offline. Get your local community involved. If you are part of any sports clubs or attend a church group, make sure you are letting everybody know about your fundraiser. Never be afraid to ask for help with your fundraising efforts.

3. Get fundraising

So what are you waiting for? Don’t wait for March 17th to support comic relief, start your fundraiser today and make the most of the lead up to the big day. A great way to fundraise is in a group. Not only is group fundraising a lot of fun, it can also help raise more money for charity as you have multiple social networks to tap into. So round up your friends, call up your co-workers and start fundraising for Comic Relief today. 

Pay in your donations

If you have chosen to raise your funds for Comic Relief through GoFundMe your funds will be automatically delivered without you having to lift a finger.