Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day on the BBC saw an average of 2.9 million viewers tune in to see the show, according to overnight figures.
Between 7pm and 10pm, the main show – which was hosted by actor David Tennant and presenters AJ Odudu, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball – saw a peak audience of 3.4 million viewers on TV.
Before the pandemic, 5.6 million people tuned in to watch the star-studded telethon on BBC One in 2019.
At the end of this year’s live broadcast, the Comic Relief hosts announced that the show had raised £31,952,141 so far – which is £8 million less than the total at the same point of 2022’s show.
🎉🎉🎉What a night! We couldn't do this without you all, donating, watching and supporting.It's not over, and you can still make a difference to people who are living through the toughest times of their lives.
You can donate here: https://t.co/Xyu4tanHry pic.twitter.com/Xjtkml3Ikm
— Comic Relief (@comicrelief) March 17, 2023
Comedy skits on the night included unseen Eurovision audition clips, Kylie Minogue appearing with the cast of BBC sitcom Ghosts and Sir Tony Robinson reprising his role as dim-witted Blackadder sidekick Baldrick as he read a bedtime story inspired by Cinderella.
Co-founded by Bridget Jones’s Diary screenwriter Richard Curtis and comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry in 1985, Comic Relief is a UK charity that aims for a “just world, free from poverty”.
This year, the fundraiser will support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and will tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty.