Dame Joanna Lumley, Hugh Bonneville, Oti Mabuse and other stars have come together for the launch of Red Nose Day 2022 to star in a hilarious mock audition tape ahead of this year's campaign.

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The three-minute video, titled Leaked Audition Tapes, sees a number of stars suggest ideas for their own fundraising activities, from Joel Dommett's sponsored silence to Jamie Laing's skydiving stunt.

While Strictly's Oti Mabuse floats the idea of undertaking a 48-hour dance-a-thon and Radio 1 DJ Vick Hope suggests a sponsored head shave, Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville seems to have misunderstood what the auditions were actually for.

"I can't believe this," he says to someone on the phone. "I thought I was auditioning for the next Bond, not just another Red Nose Day thing."

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, comedian Ellie Taylor, who also appears in the fake audition tape, said: "I'm always so excited when Red Nose Day rolls around because it's something that I've grown up with.

"Every year you know it's going to be amazing, every year you know you're going to see wonderful people trying their hardest to raise as much money as they can for incredible causes. It’s always such a heartening, joyous thing to watch."

The annual charity telethon, created by Sir Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis, first started back in 1980 and has raised over £1 billion since then.

Last year, the event raised over £50 million despite taking place during the pandemic, with Daniel Craig, Jack Whitehall, Keira Knightley, Michael Sheen, Jodie Whittaker, Dame Joan Collins and Dawn French appearing in sketches throughout the night.

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Red Nose Day returns on Friday 18th March. You can also check out what else is on with our TV Guide.

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