Viewers raise over £37m for Red Nose Day

The British public pledged more than £37 million during the televised Red Nose Day fundraising event last Friday night.

Viewers watching the night of comedy on BBC1 had donated £37,809,564 by 2am for good causes in the UK and Africa.

Organisers are hoping to beat the 2003 total of £61 million.

Host Chris Evans announced the total to cheers from the studio audience who had seen some of the top names in British comedy performing in aid of the 10th Red Nose Day.

Lenny Henry and Harry Hill starred in the show, as did comic Rowan Atkinson in a spoof of superhero Spider-Man, leaping across the rooftops of London with pop singer Rachel Stevens.

Six million red noses were sold in aid of the event organised by Comic Relief and held every two years.

Since its inception in 1985, Comic Relief has raised more than £337 million for 6,000 charity projects.

Viewers saw Robbie Williams star in a special Little Britain sketch dressed as a "laydee" and renamed Roberta by unconvincing transvestites Emily and Florence.

Source