Posted in: BBC, TV | Tagged: red nose day

Red Nose Day 2025 Scores Big; "Strictly," Beyond Paradise Sketches

Comic Relief announced Red Nose Day 2025 fundraising results; Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, and Beyond Paradise sketches were released.

This past Friday brought Red Nose Day – specifically, the Red Nose Day Big Night of TV. Marking 40 years of raising a whole lot of funds for a whole lot of great causes across the UK and around the world, the televised event aired on BBC One and streamed on BBC iPlayer – with Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Alison Hammond, Rylan Clark, and Alesha Dixon on hand as hosts. Highlights of the night included sketches spotlighting some of the hardest-hitting shows on the BBC: Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, EastEnders, a Not Going Out/Beyond Paradise crossover, and much more. Though local fundraisers are still ongoing, RadioTimes.com confirmed from Comic Relief that £34,022,590 was raised.

"On behalf of us all, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. Your extraordinary efforts have helped raise £34,022,590 that will help tackle some of the most urgent problems facing millions of people here in the UK and across the world," shared Samir Patel, CEO, Comic Relief. "The kindness we've seen is nothing short of incredible, and every donation, big or small, reminds us that when we come together, we can help inspire real and meaningful change. Forty years on, the power of laughter to change lives remains as true today as it did in 1985."

Now, here's a look at the Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, Not Going Out/Beyond Paradise crossover sketches that were released:

"Not Going Beyond Paradise": A huge BBC crossover is coming to cause comedy chaos. Exclusively for Red Nose Day 2025, the worlds of two of the BBC's most loved programmes collide for the first time ever as Sally Bretton, who plays both Lee's wife Lucy in Not Going Out and DI Humphrey Goodman's wife Martha Lloyd in Beyond Paradise, takes on both roles in a hilarious mix-up of mistaken identities. Joining Bretton are her onscreen husbands: Lee Mack, who plays Lee in Not Going Out, and Kris Marshall, who plays DI Humphrey Goodman in Beyond Paradise. Zahra Ahmadi also appears as Esther Williams from Beyond Paradise, and fans will spot more familiar faces from both shows throughout the sketch. The sketch sees the characters' worlds unexpectedly collide, setting the stage for a comedy of errors that's not to be missed. Expect identity mix-ups, misunderstandings, and classic slapstick humour in this unmissable Comic Relief special.

"The Gladiators with Chabuddy G": A brand new 'G'ladiator is stepping into the arena for Comic Relief! Kurrupt FM's self-appointed manager Chabuddy G is stepping into the legendary Gladiators arena for an exclusive Red Nose Day 2025 showdown. Full of confidence and bravado, Chabuddy G arrives at Sheffield Arena convinced he's about to join the ranks of the mighty Gladiators. But his dream of arena domination is short-lived when he discovers he's not a Gladiator at all – he's a contender whose first challenge is a head-to-head duel with none other than human powerhouse Bionic. Can Chabuddy G hold his own, or will Bionic's pugil stick bring his dreams crashing down? And more importantly, what Gladiator name will he bestow upon himself?

"Strictly Come Dancing The New Pro Dancers": Are Rachel Parris and Russell Kane the next Strictly stars? Starring Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the sketch follows the journey of Melissa (Parris) and Johnny (Kane), two unlikely newcomers who take on the challenge of joining the Strictly professional lineup due to new inclusivity rules, which require a certain percentage of professionals to be… amateurs! Filmed in an observational documentary style, the sketch tracks their surprising audition process as Melissa and Johnny land the job as Strictly's first-ever amateur professional dancers. But in a sad twist of fate, both their celebrity partners mysteriously pull out of the next series at the last minute, citing identical farcical injuries. But Tess and Claudia, always quick on their feet, hatch a clever plan. Tune in to see how it unfolds!

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