Comic Relief 2024, review: Lenny Henry hangs up his red nose and deserves every tribute
Thank you for your service, Sir Lenworth. Feel free to swap that red nose for a gold watch. Comic Relief (BBC One) delivered a star-studded send-off for the charity’s co-founder. An outpouring of affection for Lenny Henry resulted in the liveliest telethon in years.
After 39 years and an astonishing ￡1.5bn raised for worthy causes, the godfather of giving bowed out with his final anchorman stint. Henry will stay involved behind the scenes but now passes the hosting baton to new blood. Presumably he’ll leave it behind the reception desk of a Premier Inn.
Live from Media City in Salford, there were chants of “Lenny! Lenny!” from a studio audience packed with people who’d been helped by Comic Relief. Messages from Africa included one from Kenyan nurse Martha, who gave birth to twins during an appeal film, naming them Lenny and Henry. The man of the hour was visibly moved. “It’s not about me,” he insisted. “It’s about the mirth and the money. Comedy and compassion. Human beings helping human beings. What could be better than that?”
The night’s comic highlight was a spoof trailer for The Traitors: The Movie, crammed with knowing gags and cameos.
Grab your popcorn, it's time for Traitors: The Movie. If anyone looks a bit different, it's just the big screen… pic.twitter.com/fjEwNeovvj
— Comic Relief (@comicrelief) March 15, 2024
Suranne Jones donned a glossy fringe and statement knitwear to star as host Claudia Winkleman. Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey was treacherous winner Harry, David Walliams was moustache-twirling villain Paul and Sally Phillips was cult heroine Diane. We’ll raise a chalice of fizzy rosé to that. Fans cheered when runner-up Mollie finally got her revenge, courtesy of a frying pan in Harry’s face.
Rarely missing an excuse for cross-promotion, several more BBC properties got the parody treatment. Jamie Dornan, in his guise as The Tourist’s amnesiac action hero Elliot Stanley, was quizzed by Clive Myrie in the Mastermind chair. Kate Winslet read a late-night edition of CBeebies Bedtime Story. Its potty-mouthed, baggy-eyed exasperation would have resonated with parents everywhere.
The cast of corporate self-satire W1A, led by Hugh Bonneville, held auditions for Sir Lenny’s replacement. So that’s all good. Scene-stealing branding consultant Siobhan Sharpe (Jessica Hynes) called him “Sir Lenry” and blamed her mistakes on ChatGPT. Aghast at the calibre of candidates - Richard Madeley and Rustie Lee indeed - Henry went for a pint with Pudsey instead. Let’s hope the one-eyed bear didn’t get blind drunk.
Madeley-alike Alan Partridge returned to North Norfolk Digital to ride the regional radio airwaves. Steve Coogan’s masterful comic creation analysed the lyrics of Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” (topical), alluded to a charity expenses scandal and got himself cancelled over a dead feline #CatLivesMatter.
French and Saunders stole Dawn French’s ex-husband’s thunder by retiring themselves. And also do a swift voiceover for West Country outlet Jefferson’s Carpets (“the cheapest shags in Plymouth”).
Cunningly stitched together multi-celebrity sketches have become something of a telethon trademark. Hollywood stars including Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts battled it out in a celebrity Z-to-A-lister sketch to decide whose was the most famous face. Anyone allergic to philanthropic luvvies might have come out in hives.
Henry was joined by seven co-hosts, which felt like several too many. Lined up on-stage, they looked more like a Waitrose checkout queue than a presenting team. David Tennant and Joel Dommett proved the standouts, skilfully shifting gears from sincere to silly. Maya Jama’s sculptural frock added jeopardy, threatening a wardrobe malfunction at any moment.
Musical interludes came thick and fast. McFly opened the show with a pub rocky McMedley of hit singles from Comic Relief’s history. Paloma Faith was accompanied (and thoroughly out-sung) by Liverpool’s Lighthouse Choir. The cast of Just For One Day, the Live Aid musical, raced through a hammy retelling. Mawaan Rizwan’s “Are You Checking Me Out or Are You Just a Racist?” was a witty treat.
“Singing sensation JERUB” (me neither) crooned a soulful rendition of A Change Is Gonna Come, one of Henry’s favourite songs. Henry himself performed a Barbie spoof, “I’m Just Len”, riffing on Ryan Gosling’s Oscars turn but without the budget or Slash guitar solo. What it lacked in “Kenergy”, it made up for in poignancy. There was a wave of love for the late George Michael after a rerun of his 2011 appearance alongside James Corden.
The show switched to BBC Two during the 10 O’Clock News for more risqué post-watershed material, before returning to the flagship channel for A Whole Lot of Lenny. This retrospective, hosted by The One Show’s Alex Jones, celebrated Henry’s long association with the charity and rewound his personal highlights. Not to mention what co-founder Richard Curtis called his “fashion catastrophes”. Well, it was the Eighties.
Across nearly five hours of live chaos, Comic Relief waved farewell to its founding father in fine style. As he retires his red nose after nearly 40 years, Sir Lenworth leaves his labour of love in great shape for the next generation. Whatever your opinions of Henry or his comedy, the Dudley lad-done-good has given generously, raising life-changing sums for those less fortunate. Bringing in ￡1.5bn is no laughing matter. He deserved every tribute, backslap and donation. Katanga, my friend indeed.
