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6 unusual facts about comic relief


A Song

Later in the 2000s, "Amarillo" would enjoy newfound popularity thanks to comedian Peter Kay using the Tony Christie version in a number for Comic Relief.

Comic relief

He is often found criticizing the desperate situation the other characters find themselves in, or being rescued from predicaments by his counterpart R2-D2

In popular culture the character of C-3PO, featured in all six Star Wars films, is also considered to be used as comic relief.

Eddie Mair

For Comic Relief in 2012 Peston co-hosted the PM programme with Mair.

Life in One Day

Jones, along with Afrodiziak who contributed backing vocals on the original, performed "Life in One Day" in an a cappella style live at the Shaftsbury Theatre in London as part of a series of music/alternative comedy shows held in April 1986 by the charity Comic Relief.

T.J. Maxx

In the UK in 2007, T.K. Maxx was an active participant of Comic Relief, having been the sole retailer of the Red Nose Day t-shirts which generated £2 million for the Comic Relief cause.


Andi Osho

In 2011, she won the Comic Relief episode with The Matrix trilogy as her specialist subject and then in 2012, she took part in a regular episode choosing host John Humphrys as her specialist subject.

Characters of Final Fantasy VI

Ultros, who placed twenty-fourth, was praised for bringing "much needed" comic relief for the title, described as being augmented by Ted Woolsey's translation for the North American localization.

Curly Watts

Kevin Kennedy appeared in character as Curly on University Challenge Challenges Coronation Street, a special edition of University Challenge produced for the 1997 Comic Relief telethon.

Divine Chocolate

It was originally established in the UK in 1998 as a company limited by shares owned by the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers' co-operative, the Fairtrade NGO Twin Trading and The Body Shop, with support from Christian Aid and Comic Relief.

Esme Vanderheusen

Esme later resurfaces in April 2006 when Fancy travels to Rome, serving the dual role as Fancy's confidante and comic relief.

Gem Archer

This guitar can also be seen in use in the studio for Oasis in the 'Gold and Silver and Sunshine' documentary, as well as for live performances on a Top of the Pops Comic Relief special in 2008 & Live at Wembley Stadium Familiar To Millions in 2000.

Jane Tewson

Her response to the African famine, Comic Relief was launched on Christmas Day 1985 from the refugee camp in Safawa, Sudan, (Helen Fielding's novel Cause Celeb, 1994, may be partially based on the launch).

Matthew Freud

Matthew Freud, along with his sister Emma Freud and brother-in-law Richard Curtis, sit on the board of Trustees for Comic Relief, which is aired every second year on the BBC as a nationwide charity event.

One Hour of Girl Power

The video for "Who Do You Think You Are" appears in an alternate version, showing behind the scenes footage of the filming with British celebrities including Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Lulu, joining the Spice Girls in the video for the 1997 Comic Relief appeal.

Pett Productions

Celebrity Dog School (2003) Event held for Comic Relief in which celebrities Johnny Vaughan, Michelle Ryan, Ronnie Corbett, Julian Clary, Jake Humphrey, Dora Bryan and Linda Barker teamed up with a special dog trainer and pitted their dogs against each other to see whose was best trained.

Rushey Mead School

Beneficiaries over the years have included the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Teenage Cancer Trust, Comic Relief, Sport Relief, Matt Hampson Trust, Rushey Mead Foundation, Rainbows and the Leicester charity LOROS (the Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice).

Sai Lor Fah

In a further role reversal, Somchai Kemglad, an actor who played the dramatic lead in Yuthert's debut film, Killer Tattoo, was given the comic relief role in Sai Lor Fah.

Sargon the Sorcerer

Taking his professional name from the ancient king of the same name, Sargon has had a checkered career, acting mostly as a hero during the Golden Age aided by his cartoonish fat little comic relief sidekick/manager Maximillian O'Leary as he battled crooks, spies and his azure-skinned archenemy the Blue Lama, Queen of Black Magic, but re-emerging in the Silver Age - as a villain, at least at first.

The Krankies

Janette also appears as Jimmy Krankie in the video for 2007 Comic Relief single "500 Miles" with The Proclaimers, Brian Potter, Andy Pipkin and other celebrity stars.


see also

Andy Parfitt

In March 2009, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro along with Radio 1 presenters Chris Moyles, Fearne Cotton and seven other celebrities for Comic Relief 2009.

Chic Johnson

O&J were given contracts by Warner Bros. in 1930 to appear as the comic relief in a number of musicals including Oh, Sailor Behave (1930), Gold Dust Gertie (1931) and a lavish Technicolor version of Fifty Million Frenchmen (1931).

Clifton James

James became well known for playing the comic-relief role of Louisiana Sheriff J.W. Pepper in the James Bond films Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

Darryl Neilson

Upon the show first airing, audiences struggled to relate to the character of Marj Neilson (Elizabeth McRae), a character played largely for comic relief.

Ed Petrie

Ed has said through Twitter that his girlfriend is French and that she also appears in Misery Bear 's Comic Relief special (starring Kate Moss).

Give Us a Clue

Give us a Clue returned for a special Comic Relief episode on 5 March 2011 with Sara Cox, Christopher Biggins, Lionel Blair, Una Stubbs, Holly Walsh, Jenni Falconer and David Walliams.

Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez

As a result of playing comic relief roles, he was accused of perpetuating negative stereotypes about Hispanic men.

Rocky Jones, Space Ranger

By the end of 1951 a cast had been selected, headed by Richard Crane as Rocky Jones and one-time Our Gang member Scotty Beckett as Rocky’s co-pilot and comic relief, Winky.

Sidewalk Bubblegum

During its nine-year run, Sidewalk Bubblegum has been published in hundreds of magazines, books, and zines including Z Magazine, Playboy Magazine, Funny Times, Comic Relief, Creative Loafing, Factsheet 5, Metro Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Sentinel and the Hufvudstadsbladet, Finland’s largest Swedish-language daily newspaper.

Ululation

It appears as comic relief in The Simpsons episodes "The Last Temptation of Homer" and "Midnight Rx"; as well as on Family Guy in the episode "E. Peterbus Unum" where Stewie is curious about the sound Achmed "makes when you're about to assassinate an infidel".

Under a Monsoon Cloud

Previously the comic relief in Inspector Ghote Plays a Joker when assigned to Ghote as an assistant and recommended for a position as security guard at the Ministry for Police Affairs and the Arts.

Wanted: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Played for comic relief after the initial car chase is the song "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes, and "Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli plays while Fox and Wesley kill a man in a limousine.

Who's Singin' Over There?

With his Elmer Fudd-like appearance and tipsy walking style, the hunter is a spaced-out goofball used mostly for comic relief.