BBC Plans Three-Hour Fund-Raising Special ‘The Big Night In’

The BBC has announced plans to host a coronavirus telethon on April 23, bringing together its two charity partners, Comic Relief and Children In Need, for the first time.

The Big Night In will be broadcast live from 7pm until 10pm on Thursday 23rd April, adhering to all of the government’s rules regarding social isolation.

The Big Night In will go live for three hours on BBC One and aims to cheer up the nation by spotlighting stories of kindness, humor and hope during the catastrophic coronavirus pandemic.

The special night of programming will celebrate acts of kindness and community support during these difficult times, as well as offering some light relief and entertainment to help pick up the nation’s spirits.

The show will feature some of the UK’s most famous faces doing what they can to help out, with incredible prizes being dished out as well as live music performances filmed from home.

Funds raised through the three-hour show will be split equally between the BBC’s biggest charitable partners, BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief. They will use the funds to “provide essential support to local charities, projects and programs across the U.K. to help those most in need,” according to a statement from the broadcaster.

The BBC added that The Big Night In will be broadcast live while respecting “all current social isolating government protocols.”

The BBC’s Big Night In follows similar plans in the U.S., where Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert will front One World: Together At Home across NBC, ABC and CBS on April 18. The event, which is curated by Lady Gaga, has been put together by social action platform Global Citizen and the World Health Organization.