Ten Doctor Who actors from the past 46 years of the programme’s history will say thank you to real doctors and other NHS staff on a star-studded BBC fundraising telethon which airs on BBC One Thursday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Children in Need and Comic Relief have joined forces for the first time for a three-hour special The Big Night In.
Current Doctor Jodie Whittaker, Jo Martin, Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, David Tennant Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, and Tom Baker will feature in a recorded a message thanking front-line staff for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The recording will be broadcast just before the weekly Clap For Carers at 8:00 p.m.
Update: here are the Doctors in their special video:
Sir Lenny Henry, who played Daniel Barton in the Series 12 Doctor Who episode Spyfall will co-host the special.
Sir Lenny told BBC Breakfast on Saturday: “We’re all going to be socially distanced, and then do a bit, and then move away from each other, and then nearly everybody else is doing stuff from home or from a remote location. It’s going to be great!”
The aim of the night is to let “the key workers and the care workers know that we really respect what they’re doing”, he said.
Speaking about the fundraising, he added: “A lot of the projects that we support have come to us and said that they’re really struggling in this time. They need our help.”
Catherine Tate, who played companion Donna Noble to David Tennant’s tenth Doctor will bring back schoolgirl Lauren – who is struggling with being remotely educated by her teacher, played by Tennant.
Update: here is the hilarious video:
Matt Lucas, who played tenth Doctor companion Nardole, and David Walliams will perform Little Britain on TV for the first time in a decade.
Update: here they are:
The Big Night In will aim to raise millions of pounds for vulnerable people around the UK who have been affected by the pandemic. The government has pledged to match all public donations, with a minimum of £20 million.
It will include the unveiling of a home-made video for a charity single featuring Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Jess Glynne, Paloma Faith and Rag ‘N’ Bone Man – a cover of the Foo Fighters’ Times Like These.
Gary Barlow, Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Jack Whitehall, Romesh Ranganathan, Miranda Hart and the cast of People Just Do Nothing are among the others expected to appear on the show.
And the Strictly Come Dancing professionals will introduce a new routine for people to learn at home.
The programme will be hosted by Matt Baker, Zoe Ball, Sir Lenny Henry, Paddy McGuinness and Davina McCall.
The Big Night In promises to celebrate the acts of kindness, humour and the spirit of hope and resilience that is keeping the United Kingdom going.