Comic Relief has unveiled an all-star lineup for its 2026 Red Nose Day campaign, with celebrities including actor Jodie Whittaker, former Lioness Jill Scott, and comedian Miranda Hart set to take part in 'simple acts of silliness'. The official launch took place on Tuesday, featuring Alison Hammond, Catherine Tate, Davina McCall, Dermot O’Leary, and Joe Lycett.
The campaign, themed 'taking yourself funny for money', aims to show how light-hearted actions can make a serious difference. To kick off fundraising, England rugby star Joe Marler has teamed up with Scott and drag queen Tia Kofi for a new Comic Relief film, available on YouTube, featuring playful antics with panto horses and costumes.
Red Nose Day 2026 is scheduled for Friday 20 March, culminating in an evening of comedy sketches and live performances broadcast on the BBC. Davina McCall will host, joined by Joel Dommett, Katherine Ryan, Nick Mohammed, and Catherine Tate, who will reprise her character Nan. A sketch called 'The Bank Job' will feature Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.
Marler said: 'I absolutely love the theme of this year’s Red Nose Day – I couldn’t agree more that we all just need to have a good laugh, and why not let it be at our own expense?' Whittaker added: 'Every single person can do something. It doesn’t matter the size... that little goes such a long way.'
This year’s Red Nose collection includes the first-ever Design-Yer Nose, a blank canvas for custom designs. Comic Relief chief executive Samir Patel emphasised the serious purpose: 'For millions of people, the foundations that should be guaranteed in life are no longer there... This Red Nose Day is the chance to come together, take yourself funny for money and turn a day of silliness into something that makes a world of difference.'
