NBC Celebrates Red Nose Day Thursday, May 23, marking ten years since the network debuted the fundraising event targeting child poverty. The network airs a one-hour special, Red Nose Day: Cheers to Ten Years, looking back on highlights from the past decade at 8 p.m. May 23.
Skits from past Red Nose Days include Coldplay’s Game of Thrones the Musical and a basketball sketch with Paul Rudd and Blake Griffin, where Rudd pledges to write a sizable check for every three-pointer Griffin hits, Griffin hits a bunch of them, and Rudd gets increasingly anxious.
Comic Relief US is behind Red Nose Day. It uses “the power of entertainment to drive social change,” NBC said. It has raised more than $370 million since it began in the U.S. in 2015.
“It’s truly been a gift for NBC to partner with the Comic Relief US team and Red Nose Day for 10 years to help bring positive change to millions of children around the world,” said Jen Neal, executive VP, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment.
The event used to occupy all of NBC’s prime for one night. In 2018, NBC had a Celebrity Ninja Warrior special, and a Hollywood Game Night episode with a Red Nose Day theme. In 2020, Ben Stiller and Jack Black executive produced Celebrity Escape Room, with Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Adam Scott among the celebs stuck in the room. Game show The Wall had a Red Nose Day theme a year later.
“Red Nose Day is all about using the power of laughter and entertainment to change lives and help create a world with less childhood poverty, more childhood,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. “Having this special highlighting the best TV moments and extraordinary impact of Red Nose Day’s first 10 years makes this milestone an even bigger celebration. We’re so grateful to NBC for their longtime support and partnership, and for all the corporate partners, celebrities and millions of Americans who have supported this cause and helped create meaningful impact in the lives of children.”
Comic Relief uses a red nose as a symbol because "It catches your attention...and makes others smile," according to its website. "And we think laughter is the best way to bring people together to make a difference."
Stars that have supported Red Nose Day on NBC include Kelly Clarkson, Julia Roberts, John Legend, Kenan Thompson, Will Ferrell and Blake Shelton.
