Comic Relief efforts yield record total

2011-03-19 21:15:45

19 March 2011 Last updated at 02:11 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Comic Relief: £74.3m total sets Red Nose Day record

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Prime Minister David Cameron on appearing in a special episode of MasterChef for Comic Relief

The government's contribution to this year's fundraiser matches Comic Relief's own commitment to spend £10m on health and education in Africa.

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: "Even in these tough economic times, the British public has given an incredible response to Comic Relief's appeal, showing yet again their compassion and generosity."

He added: "The government will come in behind the public's effort, to support and amplify the choices that British people have made."

Smithy and Macca

About his role in Fake That, David Walliams said: "Being in a boy band for the day was really tiring.

"We had to do all the dance moves. But when Take That did it they were like 22 - I'm 39, and I just thought, 'I can't handle this.'"

Walliams had already completed the 24-hour Panel People marathon in aid of Comic Relief, which saw him take part in back-to-back celebrity panel shows.

James Corden revived his Gavin and Stacey character Smithy, chairing a meeting of stars including Sir Paul McCartney, Keira Knightley and another ex-prime minister, Gordon Brown.

Meanwhile, Lord Prescott read BBC Radio 4's shipping forecast.

The former deputy prime minister's guest slot on the bulletin was offered to him after he made a joke on Twitter, that as he was doing an interview for The World Tonight show, he might as well stay on to do the shipping forecast.

The Comic Relief programme is the culmination of weeks of fund-raising events with stars raising money for projects across the UK and in developing countries.

The Comic Relief telethon in 2009 raised £82.3m over the whole event.

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