Here's when Comic Relief 2021 is taking place - and where to get a Red Nose

Dame Judi Dench, Sir Lenny Henry and Benedict Cumberbatch have launched this year’s Red Nose Day fundraising campaign with a new short film.

The clip features projects supported by Comic Relief and sees the stars talking about how comedy and laughter has helped them in their lives.

Cumberbatch describes laughter as a “national medicine”, saying “when you make light of something, often then it can just release the tension enough to breathe, to just have a moment’s respite from it.”

"That relief is much needed right now, there’s a reason why this is called Comic Relief,” he adds.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is this year’s theme?

The event returns next month and this year features the Share A Smile initiative, which aims to bring the country together using humour.

Star of the big and small screen, Dame Judi says: “Red Nose Day is something we can all enjoy, and goodness knows during this lockdown everyone has relied so much on television and seeing as many films as they can.

“I look forward to it enormously. I hope we all have a wonderful laugh and at the same time donate something as it goes to a very, very good cause.”

Comedians Shappi Khorsandi, Joe Lycett and Mo Gilligan and radio host Roman Kemp are also supporting the Comic Relief fundraiser.

The Great British Sewing Bee host Lycett speaks in the film about how humour has helped him, saying: “Literally every bad thing that has happened to me in my life, I have been able to get round it with humour.”

Comedian and TV star Gilligan, currently on screens as a panellist on The Masked Singer, says: “Every time I speak to my mum, which is pretty much every day, she’s the one who makes me laugh like the most.”

When is Red Nose Day?

This year’s Red Nose Day broadcast will take place on March 19, with an “unmissable evening of television” featuring sketches, live performances and one-off comedy specials on BBC One.

The programme will feature Dawn French in a special segment of The Vicar Of Dibley, and David Tennant and Michael Sheen in the comedy Staged.

Singer and TV star Alesha Dixon, Davina McCall and Paddy McGuinness will join Comic Relief co-founder Sir Lenny Henry in presenting on the night.

In the short film, Sir Lenny says: “Red Nose Day will be different this year, we know that it’s hard financially for so many people right now but we’d love you to join us even if it’s just to share a laugh.