After weeks of fundraising efforts which has seen celebrities trekking across the Namib desert and taking part in triathlons, Sport Relief’s telethon returned on Friday.
The biannual charity event took place in front of a live studio audience in Salford and saw plenty of A-list stars and top comedians lending their time for the cause, either taking part in sketches or presenting segments of the live show.
But if you missed any of the action on the night, here’s 10 moments to catch up on…
Gary Lineker’s warning of “unprecedented times”
Gary Lineker warned of “unprecedented times” as he kicked off the show, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the country is living through “extraordinarily and unprecedented times”, adding “never have the vulnerable” been more at risk.
He also promised “a chunk” of the money raised from Sport Relief will go towards those affected by the pandemic.
“I’ve been fortunate to present this show since its inception back in 2002, never though under the circumstances of this year, this month, this week,” Gary said.
“These are extraordinary and unprecedented times. Never have the vulnerable been more vulnerable than they are now. Never have we needed the help of Sport Relief more than we do now.
“We’re already making sure that a chunk of what we raise will help those affected by the coronavirus… Also, rarely, I suspect, have we needed more light relief than we do tonight.”
The show, which was held in front of an audience, could be one of the last events of its kind for the foreseeable future, with the government on the verge of banning mass gatherings in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus.
See the latest stories on the coronavirus outbreak.
Paddy McGuinness pays tribute to Caroline Flack
Paddy McGuinness took a moment out of the show to remember Love Island host Caroline Flack, who died after taking her own life last month at the age of 40.
“Recently, we lost a much-loved member of the Sport Relief family. Caroline Flack was always hugely supportive of everything this charity does,” Paddy told viewers.
“She gave so much of her time and talent to help others, and she’ll be greatly missed by us all. We send all of our love to her family.”
Emma Willis and Rylan Clark-Neal are reunited
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Emma Willis and Rylan Clark-Neal on screen together since Big Brother finished up in November 2018, but the pair were reunited during the broadcast when they presented for a section of the evening alongside Strictly Come Dancing’s Oti Mabuse.
Other hosts included Alex Scott, Maya Jama and Tom Allen.
Killing Steve, not Eve
Hit BBC drama Killing Eve got the parody treatment during the show with a sketch involving a number of celebrities named Steve being hunted down and killed by a mystery assassin in a blonde wig.
Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave, TV presenter Stephen Mulhern, Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald on Coronation Street and Stephen Fry were all targeted.
The assassin turned out to be Little Britain’s David Walliams, who was acting on the orders of snooker player Steve Davis, who wanted to be the most interesting Steve in the world.
Even Stranger Things
Orlando Bloom, Tan France, Jennifer Saunders, Mark Strong and Emma Thompson all entered The Upside Down with the help of regular Stranger Things cast members Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink and Finn Wolfhard for a special edition of the Netflix series.
Pussycat Dolls bring the heat
The Pussycat Dolls proved that they were about to let some Ofcom complaints throw them off their game as they performed during the broadcast.
Following recent complaints to the TV watchdog over their raunchy routines on The X Factor: Celebrity and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, the Dolls put on a defiant show as they showcased current single React.
Has Line Of Duty’s ‘H’ finally been unmasked?
Police drama Line Of Duty was also parodied, with stars Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston all appearing.
Actor Jason Isaacs played a police officer being investigated for alleged links to the mysterious H, while comedian Lee Mack starred as his bumbling lawyer.
The sketch ended with a revelation about H’s identity…
Smithy is the Sports Relief Personality Of The Year
After a vote to find the greatest ever Sports Relief sketch, viewers voted Gavin & Stacey’s Smithy (aka James Corden) as the winner for his 2010 skit that saw him appear at the Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.
A heroes’ welcome
BBC Radio 2’s Jo Whiley, Rev Kate Bottley and Richie Anderson were given a heroes’ welcome, as they complete their third triathlon in as many days as part of their gruelling Dare 2 Tri challenge for Sport Relief.
Over £40m raised
Despite the increasingly gloomy mood gripping the country, the Sport Relief broadcast still managed to raise a total of £40,540,355.
That was more than 2018, when £38,195,278 was raised. However, it was still some way off the record set in 2016, when £55,444,906 was raised on the night.
The money goes to good causes in both the UK and abroad. As mentioned by Gary Lineker, a chunk will be set aside to help coronavirus victims.
