The BBC's annual Comic Relief fundraiser returned on Friday evening, but the opening sketch featuring Catherine Tate's character Nan has drawn criticism from viewers. The segment, which aired at 7pm on BBC One, saw Tate reprise her role as the foul-mouthed grandmother alongside hosts Davina McCall, Nick Mohammed, and Katherine Ryan.
Some viewers took to social media to express displeasure, calling the sketch 'offensive' and 'not funny'. One user wrote: 'Catherine Tate's Nan is tired and unfunny. Time to retire the character.' Another commented: 'Comic Relief used to be about raising money for good causes, not subjecting us to cringeworthy comedy.'
The backlash comes despite the show's charitable purpose, with highlights including a world exclusive of 'Traitors: The Movie: The Sequel' and a sketch based on the BBC series 'Amandaland'. Greg James also completed his 1,000km tandem bike ride challenge, while Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond worked on a secret special project.
Comic Relief continued on BBC Two at 10pm with Romesh Ranganathan hosting a comedy fundraiser, aiming to secure donations for Red Nose Day 2026. The BBC has not commented on the backlash.
