Comic Relief presenters named

Jonathan Ross is to host BBC One’s live Comic Relief telethon, less than a year after leaving the corporation under a cloud following the Sachsgate furore.

Ross – who has already returned to the Beeb for Stargazing Live on BBC Two in January – will be one of several anchors for the annual fundraiser. Others include Lenny Henry, Graham Norton and youngsters Jack Whitehall and Kevin Bridges.

But while almost all the male hosts are comedians, the female contingent comprises Fearne Cotton, Davina McCall and Claudia Winkleman.

The night – March 18 – will include special Comic Relief episodes of Outnumbered, Masterchef, Downton Abbey, Harry Hill’s TV Burp, The Choir and Miranda, with further contributions from Armstrong and Miller, Rude Tube, Summer Heights High creator Chris Lilley and James Corden.

There will also be footage of the ‘rude road trip’ undertaken by the stars of The Inbetweeners as well as David Walliams’s 24-hour panel show marathon – which takes place from midday tomorrow and will be streamed live on the Red Nose Day website.

Published: 4 Mar 2011