LENNY HENRY TO STEP DOWN AS HOST OF RED NOSE DAY

Sir Lenny Henry has announced that he is to stand down as presenter of Comic Relief Red Nose Day. This March's telethon will be his last.

Lenny Henry said: "When we first started Comic Relief back in 1985, I never dreamed we’d still be here today. I thought we’d probably do three shows and that would be it, but fast-forward nearly 40 years, and that enthusiasm and determination to step up and help others has never wavered...

"As life president of Comic Relief, I’m excited to see some new and familiar faces come forward now to present the big night and lead us into the next chapter."

Before the day itself, on Monday 26 February, get ready for a belly-aching laugh with live performances from Aisling Bea, Joel Dommett, Fatiha El-Ghorri, Rosie Jones, Sara Pascoe, Mawaan Rizwan, and the Comic Relief legend himself – Sir Lenny Henry.

What better way to mark the beginning of a new era than returning to those early days when Lenny put on a “one-night” Comic Relief stand up gig in 1986 - setting the stage for decades of the best kind of giving - comedy and compassion all rolled into one.

Join the audience for a very special evening of stand-up comedy as we say thank you to Lenny and celebrate his 39 years of being funny for money. More details here.