Friday’s Red Nose Day appeal raised £32m for Comic Relief on the night, a £10.8m drop compared with the amount raised last year.
Comic Relief’s fundraising income has fallen in recent years. Last year, its Red Nose Day telethon raised £42.8m on the night, compared with £59m in 2021.
Meanwhile, the charity’s overall income was £50m in the year to July 2022, down from £74m the previous year.
The event, which was broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, was presented by AJ Odudu, David Tennant, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball.
The money raised will help support people facing financial hardship in light of the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health, and food poverty in the UK and abroad.
It will also support those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Fundraising achievements
Ahead of Friday’s live show, numerous celebrities started fundraising, with television presenter Gethin Jones raising nearly £1.2m by dancing non-stop for 24 hours.
Elsewhere, Emma Willis, Oti Mabuse and Rylan reached the summit of Cairn Gorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands, battling 70mph winds and freezing temperatures. They raised over £500,000.
Other achievements include BBC Radio 1 DJ Arielle Free’s cycling challenge, who cycled on a 10-person bike for 50 hours over five days across five cities. She raised just under £600,000.
The People’s Postcode Lottery contributed £1m while charities such as City Bridge Trust and the Oak Foundation gave £719,000 and £100,000 respectively.
The Sainsbury’s Group, which has partnered with Comic Relief for more than two decades, contributed £5m while Amazon gave £3m.
Meanwhile, the UK government pledged to match funds up to £6m of public donations to “empower people living across Africa to take control of their own development”.
Comic Relief: ‘We’re incredibly proud of the British public’
Comic Relief’s chief executive officer Samir Patel said: “We’re feeling incredibly proud of what the British public have been able to achieve together. There is no doubting that this is a deeply troubling time for millions of people across the nation, so we’re truly humbled by the willingness to dig deep and donate.
“The biggest of thank yous goes to everyone who has supported this Red Nose Day. You’ve helped to lift spirits, spread kindness, and raise millions of pounds that will make more life changing work possible, right here in the UK and around the world.”
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