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Comic Relief. Copyright: BBC.

Comic Relief

BBC One variety show for Red Nose Day. 17 episodes, 1988 - 2019. Stars Lenny Henry, Jonathan Ross, Griff Rhys Jones, Dawn French and others.

Comic Relief 1997

This year's Comic Relief has a distinctly hairy new look, with shaggy red noses and Lenny Henry in a furry suit.

Further details

7pm - Lenny Live and Luscious

Lenny Henry whips the studio audience into a frenzy as he kicks off more than eight hours of comedy, music and powerful documentary.

At 7.10: The Great Big Stupid Celebrity Sketch Show: Frank Bruno and Sally Gunnell are among stars acting strangely.

7.20: Susan Tully reports on the hardships of Ghanaian children who live and work on the streets to survive.

7.30: Gladiators Go Ga Ga: Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu try to keep order as gladiators Rhino and Wolf take on two unlikely contenders - EastEnder Nigel and Ash from Casualty.

7.45: Only Fools and Horses Red Nose Exclusive: David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst return as Del Boy and Rodders in a recording made specially for Red Nose Day.

8pm - Dame Edna Makes the Nation See Red

Housewife superstar Dame Edna Everage takes the helm.

8.05: University Challenge Challenges Coronation Street: The Street's Vera, Curly, Gail and Jim answer questions posed by Jeremy Paxman.

8.10: Victoria Wood looks at the problems of carers like June, who tends to her sick husband 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

8.15: More of The Great Big Stupid Celebrity Sketch Show: Starring, among others, Desmond Lynam, Jimmy Hill and Mystic Meg.

8.30: The Spice Girls: The all-girl group sing for Comic Relief.

8.40: BallykissDibley: Ballykissangel's Father Clifford (Stephen Tompkinson) comes to Dibley, and vicar Geraldine (Dawn French) falls for him.

9pm - News

Comic Relief continues on BBC2 from 9 to 9.30pm

9:30pm - French and Saunders Behaving Badly

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are the next hosts.

9.35: The Great Big Stupid Celebrity Sketch Show 3. Question Time with Peter Sissons, Jeffrey Archer and model Caprice.

9.45: Julie Walters and the Street Kids of Addis Ababa from Ethiopia.

9.55: Boyzone singing Love Me Tender.

10.00: Men Behaving Very Badly Indeed: Will Gary (Martin Clunes) and Tony (Neil Morrissey) meet Kylie Minogue?

10.15pm - Ross, Rhys, Enfield and Chums

With Jonathan Ross, Griff Rhys Jones and Harry Enfield and Chums.

10.30: Prime Cracker: Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) and Fitz (Robbie Coltrane) combine Prime Suspect and Cracker.

10.40: Tony Ferrino and Bjork: Steve Coogan duets with the Icelandic singer.

10.45: Jennifer Saunders - Don't Give Up: Battered women tell their stories.

11pm - Father Ted and His Faithful Friends

Fathers Ted and Dougal bless the screen with their presence.

11.05: Angus Deayton in Burkina Faso: How a desert has been turned green.

11.15: Furry Funny Fluffs: TV bloopers.

11.20: The Great Big Stupid Celebrity Sketch Show: Featuring Michael Parkinson in a wedding dress.

11.30pm - The Empire Strikes Back - Live From Shepherd's Bush Empire

With Steve Coogan, the Spice Girls and Spice Girl wannabes the Sugar Lumps - French & Saunders, Kathy Burke, Llewella Gideon and Lulu.

12:30am - Bedtime with Ben

Ben Elton presents the final Great Big Stupid Celebrity Sketch Show

Plus, tonight's phone pledge total is announced.

1am - Comic Relief: the Beginning

Live at the Shaftesbury Theatre, the very first Comic Relief show from 1986.

2.30am - Billy Connolly's Return to Nose and Beak

The comedian makes a return trip to Mozambique to see how it has recovered from civil war.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 14th March 1997
Time
7pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
480 minutes