Jack Whitehall: Comic Relief is an institution

Comic Relief is not only a fantastic charity and worthy cause, but it’s also now an institution. When Richard Curtis rings you up and asks you to be part of it, it’s impossible to say no. It’s Richard Curtis! You can hardly say, “I’m sorry mate, would love to help but I’ve got a couple of tickets to The Lion King that night so it ain’t gonna work.” (I say that without wishing to knock The Lion King. It’s a great night out.) Everyone’s eagerness to get involved means there have been such brilliant Comic Relief moments over the years.

I remember the Ali G meets Posh and Becks sketch [2001]. I loved Ali G and was amazed they’d agreed to go on. It was a great moment and that’s why Comic Relief is so good, because you get so many amazing guest stars turning up, willing to make a bit of a fool of themselves for good causes. I also love French and Saunders’s sketches — the Harry Potter one [2003] was hilarious — but more recently Alan Partridge sneezing blood on a nun [2011] is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. “There’s flecks in your wimple” — what a line!