Sir Lenny Henry has revealed he has decided to step down from presenting Red Nose Day after 39-years.
The comic, 65, has confirmed that this month’s show will be his last after admitting that he missed being on stage with his former Comic Relief co-hosts – including ex-wife Dawn French, Billy Connolly and the late Victoria Wood.
He co-founded the charity alongside Richard Curtis in 1985 and began fronting the iconic telethon since its debut in 1988, which at the time he thought would only last for slot777 three shows, let alone almost 40.
Viewers can still take comfort in the fact that while he will not be on screen during the big night Sir Lenny will continue working for the charity behind the scenes as it’s Life President.
Speaking about his departure from the lime lite, Sir Lenny said: ‘As Life President of Comic Relief, I’m excited to see some new and familiar faces come forward now to present the big night and lead us into the next chapter.’
Sir Lenny admitted that the Comic Relief baton needs to be ‘handed on to a new group of people who are going to take on Comic Relief’ and alluded to a number of stars who could take over.
Here MailOnline lists some of those runners and riders that are tipped to fill his shoes in the iconic presenting slot.
Sir Lenny Henry, 65, revealed he has decided to step down from presenting Red Nose Day
He co-founded the charity alongside Richard Curtis in 1985 when he began fronting the iconic telethon
David Tennant
Henry is thought to have given a slight nod that David Tennant will take over as his replacement after saying the former Doctor Who star was ‘brilliant’ when he hosted the show in 2019 and 2023.
Poll
Who do YOU want to replace Lenny Henry?
David Tennant
Romesh Ranganathan
Alisha Dixon
AJ Odudu
Who do YOU want to replace Lenny Henry?
David Tennant 59 votes
Romesh Ranganathan 11 votes
Alisha Dixon 5 votes
AJ Odudu 7 votes
Now share your opinion
A funny clip from last year’s Red Nose Day also showed Henry regenerating into the Scottish actor, 52, before heading on stage to greet the audience.
Tennant has been part of the presenting line up for the telethon since as early as 2009, during which he hosted a segment of the show with Davina McCall.
The Broadchurch actor also took part in the event in 2013 and again in 2019, after which he has remained a permanent feature.
Tennant hosted the show last year along with veteran presenters Zoe Ball and Paddy McGuinness as well as relative newcomers AJ Odudu and Joel Dommett.
He is set to return to our screens on the big night next week in what is expected to be a touching send off for Sir Lenny.
Henry is thought to have given a slight nod that David Tennant (pictured) will take over as his replacement
The former Doctor Who star hosted the show in 2019 and 2023
Presenters Lenny Henry, David Tennant and Alesha Dixon during the Red Nose Day night of TV for Comic Relief on March 18, 2022 in Manchester
Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Raganathan made his Comic Relief debut well over half a decade ago and is therefore a close contender to take over Henry’s role.
He first hosted on the telethon in 2017 during which he appeared in a slightly odd Indian dance sequence, which the comedian appeared to take offense to.
In 2019, he appeared alongside former Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon when they both boogied on stage to pick up the presenting duties alongside a star-studded cast.
He is also set to appear in this year’s show on March 15, with other seasoned Red Nose Day presenters as well as Maya Jama and Rosie Ramsey who will be making their Red Nose Day debut.
Romesh Raganathan (pictured) made his Comic Relief debut well over half a decade ago
Ranganathan (second from right) first hosted on the telethon in 2017
Alesha Dixon
Although she has been a mainstay of British Television for well over a decade, Alesha Dixon has only presented on Comic Relief on three occasions.
The former Britain’s Got Talent judge made her Comic Relief debut in 2019 when she presented a segment of the show with comedian Romesh Ranganathan.
The pair had a comedic presence on stage and at one point Dixon joked that she was worried about pronouncing Romesh’s name wrong to which he replied: ‘There is a real danger of looking racist.’
In 2021, Dixon appeared on the show alongside David Tennant, Davina McCall, Paddy McGuinness and Sir Lenny Henry.
Alesha Dixon has only presented on Comic Relief on three occasions
The former Britain’s Got Talent judge (second from left) made her Comic Relief debut in 2019
Presenters Lenny Henry, Paddy Mcguinness, Alesha Dixon and David Tennant during the Red Nose Day night of TV for Comic Relief on March 18, 2022
AJ Odudu
AJ Odudu is a relative newcomer to the Red Nose Day line up, having only featured in the show since 2022.
On her first show she appeared alongside Vernon Kay before she was later joined by George Ezra who performed a rendition of his song Anyone for You.
She was set to co-present the segment with Comedian Joel Dommett, but he was forced to pull out after testing positive for Covid-19.
In 2023, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant wowed viewers as she took to the Comic Relief stage in an ultra-fitted red latex dress, with many fans branding the host ‘stunning’.
AJ has shot to fame in years after appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, which she said was a dream come true, which later landed her a string of presenting gigs.
She is set to host the upcoming series of Celebrity Big Brother after presenting the main show’s revival last year.
AJ Odudu is a relative newcomer to the Red Nose Day line up, having only featured in the show since 2022
AJ appeared on her first show in 2022 alongside Vernon Kay
AJ Odudu during the Red Nose Day night of TV for Comic Relief on March 17, 2023
The reinvention of Sir Lenny Henry: How comedian went from ‘political football’ to diversity champion
By Tom Cotterill
After almost 40 years hosting Comic Relief, Sir Lenny Henry is finally stepping back from the fundraising juggernaut.
The beloved British comic has declared it’s time for a ‘new generation’ to take the reins of the annual bonanza, which has raised a staggering £1.5billion since it first aired in 1988.
Before becoming the face of Red Nose Day, Sir Lenny was famed for his edgy stand-up routines and outrageous characters that would poke fun at his Jamaican roots.
But in recent years the Dudley-born funny man, 65, has shifted gear, shying away from his risqué gags of old – which he said would be ‘resigned to the bin’ now – to campaign for racial justice and black rights.
Reinventing himself as a diversity champion, Sir Lenny claimed he was once used as a ‘political football’ when he appeared in ‘black face’ on the Black And White Minstrels show as a teenager in the 1975. He has even called out the BBC over alleged racism at the institution.
Sir Lenny Henry performing as one of his outrageous characters Theophilus P Wildebeeste in 1990
Sir Lenny takes to the stage during Comic Relief Live at the Shaftesbury Theatre on April 5, 1986
Before becoming the face of Red Nose Day, Sir Lenny was famed for his edgy stand-up routines and outrageous characters that would poke fun at his Jamaican roots (pictured in January 2024)
In later years, the actor and comic has become an activist fighting for racial equality, having previously claimed to have been used as a ‘political football’ when he appeared in ‘black face’ on the Black And White Minstrels show as a teenager in the 1975 (he is pictured in 2024)