Rob Brydon and Ruth Jonespose at the Official Launch of Red Nose Day on January 29, 2009 at the Empire, Leicester Sqaure in London, England. (Getty Images)
Friday, March 24, is Red Nose Day in the UK, but what exactly is Red Nose Day? What’s the holiday about? The Red Nose Day website reads, “This Red Nose Day we’re calling on the great British public to fundraise and make their laugh matter. Whether it’s at work, home, with friends, family or colleagues, you’ll be joining thousands across the UK who are doing their bit, just like you, to make a difference.”
Red on to learn more about Red Nose Day.
1. The Event Is Organized by Comic Relief
Rochelle Wiseman, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays and Steve Jones pose at the Official Launch of Red Nose Day on January 29, 2009 at the Empire, Leicester Sqaure in London, England. (Getty Images)
Red Nose Day 2017 is a fundraising event organized by Comic Relief, a British charity founded by scriptwriter Richard Curtis (who directed “Love, Actually”) and comedian Lenny Henry in response to Ethiopia’s famine. Though Comic Relief works year-round, the charity’s biggest annual event is Red Nose Day.
Red Nose Day is celebrated in many countries across the world, including the Finland, Germany, and Iceland.
2. Red Nose Day Is May 25 in America
Milo Ventimiglia arrives at The Red Nose Day Special on NBC at Alfred Hitchcock Theater at Universal Studios on May 26, 2016 in Universal City, California. (Getty Images)
In the US, Red Nose Day is celebrated on May 25. The day is one where everyone can come together and make a difference for kids.
The US adopted Red Nose Day in 2015, and has raised over $60 million to date. Donations in the US have gone towards supporting children in the poorest countries across the world.
The celebrity lineup for this year has not yet been announced, but in the past, it has included stars like Ellen DeGeneres, Seth Meyers, Jack Black, Ashton Kutcher, Trevor Noah, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and many more. In 2015, Peter Dinklage and Coldplay teamed up to honor Red Nose Day by creating a music video featuring many of the dead characters in Game of Thrones.
3. Red Nose Day Has Collected Over $1 Billion in the Past 30 Years
According to the New York Daily News, Red Nose Day has raked in over $1 billion for impoverished children in the past 30 years.
Comic Relief, the charity behind Red Nose Day, aims to use laughter and comedy to bring people together and reflect on the issues and problems that affect many peoples lives.
4. The Event Is Broadcast on BBC One
Red Nose Day will premiere on BBC One on Friday at 7pm. According to the charity’s website, Red Nose day promises a star-studded lineup of celebs, including Sir Lenny Henry, Joe Lycett, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Warwick Davis, Sally Phillips, Jonathan Ross and French & Saunders, as well as music from Ed Sheeran, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Emeli Sande.
The site also boasts new stand up by Russell Brand, and Graham Norton.
5. The Love Actually Cast Will Be Reuniting for Red Nose Day
This year, the cast of the hit film “Love, Actually” will be reuniting for Red Nose Day. That’s right– in February, Comic Relief announced that the biggest celebrities from the film would be coming back together for a new short film, directed and written by Richard Curtis.
According to the Red Nose Day website, the film will visit the movie’s characters in the present day to see what they’re up to 14 years later. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson and Rowan Atkinson will all be featured in the film, along with Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lucia Moniz, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Olivia Olson, Bill Nighy and Marcus Brigstocke.
Curtis recently said, “I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to Love Actually, but I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to… Who has aged best? – I guess that’s the big question… or is it so obviously Liam?”