This unlikely group will rehearse, harmonise and hilariously try to stay in time as they prepare for their one‑night‑only debut. Fans won't miss a moment thanks to a special Comic Relief YouTube series - allowing them to follow, support and donate along the way. Expect vocal coaching, choreography bootcamp and more than a few moments where they wonder if they've bitten off more than they can sing. With some very special cameo guests dropping in along the way, their journey will be packed with honest highs, lows and plenty of laughter.
You've presented the Red Nose Day night of TV a few times now, what is it that keeps you coming back for more?
Comic Relief is in my DNA. I know the charity, I know how they work, and I know how much they care. What I love is that all the money raised will help people with the essentials that matter most - food, a place to sleep, and feeling safe. It's a really, really good charity.
Why is Comic Relief so special, what impact do you hope it has?
Comic Relief is special because it makes you laugh and cry in equal measure, and you can feel all the feels, get properly entertained, laugh hard, but also make a real difference in the real world.
Describe Comic Relief and the night of TV to someone who has never watched it before?
The night of TV is a telethon where you will watch some of the best comedians in the UK, and indeed from around the world, take part and do sketches and make everyone laugh, but that will be sprinkled with incredibly heartfelt appeal films and some quite hard to listen to facts and stats which will make you want to dig deep into your pockets and donate what you're able to.
You'll be presenting the show along with a star-studded line up of comedians, have you met any of them before and what will this dynamic be like on the night?
What's so nice is that I'm hosting with Joel Dommett, and Joel's actually one of my best friends! So, it's so nice to be presenting with him. Knowing that I'm with him whilst also presenting with Nan (Catherine Tate) is very reassuring because actually, I am mildly terrified of Nan if I'm honest! How I'm going to stop her from swearing, I just don’t know! Obviously “please do not swear” was my catchphrase - so I’m going to have to stay on my toes. Katherine Ryan I love. I mean Nick Mohammed I was obsessed with Ted Lasso so I’m so excited about working with him. It’s going to be an amazing, amazing night.
What can we expect to see from the show this year? Any surprises you can tease?
Yes, lots of surprises this year and some very funny sketches. We’ve got ‘The Bank Job’ which is a sketch with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary that will be really funny. Basically, they have an utterly brilliant idea to raise massive amounts of money in a really quick, silly way - they’re going to hold up a bank! That’s going to be absolutely hilarious. There are loads of other fun things around the corner as well.
How does this year's theme of 'Take Yourself Funny for Money' resonate with you?
Take Yourself Funny for Money this year is all about how we as a nation are brilliant at self-deprecation. I don’t know any other nation to be so good at making fun of themselves, and we need to really celebrate that in dark times. Let’s celebrate something that we are really brilliant at, and all behave totally ridiculously.
In the theme of Brits self-deprecating humour and being the punchline of a joke, can you tell us about a time when you have been the butt of a joke?
Okay, I’ve got quite a good story to tell you. I was outside a hotel the other night having a lovely chat with the doorman, and two girls walked past and they went, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s you!’, and I got a bit kind of cocky and I was like, ‘oh, hi girls!’, and one of them asked for a photo and her friend looked a bit confused. Then the girl whispered in my ear, ‘she doesn’t know who you are’ and then said ‘my mum loves The Traitors’. I tell you what I should do on the night, I should come dressed as Claudia (Winkleman)!
It happens to Claudia all the time as well, which is hilarious.
If you could build your dream sketch, what would it be - who would be in it?
I’d have George Clooney, Kate Bush, and Michelle Obama in it. And funnier people than me would have to come up with the story! But that’s what I want and I’m putting it out there to the universe. Make it happen.