Sport Relief raises more than £40m and pledges cash for coronavirus support

Sport Relief has raised more than £40 million, with organisers promising a significant portion of the cash going to those affected by the coronavirus.

The BBC's biennial charity event took place in front of a live studio audience in Salford, in defiance of the panic caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It could be one of the last events of its kind for the foreseeable future, with the Government on the verge of banning mass gatherings in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus.

Despite the country being gripped by the spread of coronavirus, the star-studded Sport Relief broadcast managed to raise a total of £40,540,355.


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That was more than 2018, when £38,195,278 was raised and the money has traditionally gone to good causes in both the UK and abroad.

This time though it will be different, as a chunk will be set aside to help coronavirus victims.

The night opened with a solemn address from one of the show's hosts, Gary Lineker, who warned we were living in "unprecedented times".

In another sombre early moment of the show, Lineker's co-host Paddy McGuinness paid tribute to the late Love Island presenter Caroline Flack, who took her own life last month.

Flack, 40, had worked with both Sport Relief and Comic Relief. Top Gear host McGuinness said: "She will be greatly missed by us all. We send all of our love to her family".

Rita Ora delivered the first performance of the night, with her hit How To Be Lonely.

She had been set to be followed by an intergenerational choir from Wales, with elderly singers teaming up with schoolchildren.


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However, it was decided the older performers would stay in Wales as a precaution against the coronavirus.
Instead, the youngsters performed on their own, delivering a poignant cover of You've Got A Friend In Me from the Toy Story films.

There was the usual sprinkling of sketches and parodies throughout the Sport Relief live show.

One parodied the BBC's award-winning drama Killing Eve, with it being twisted into Killing Steve, in which a group of celebrities named Steve were hunted down and killed by a mystery assassin in a blonde wig.


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Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave, TV presenter Stephen Mulhern, Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald on Coronation Street and Stephen Fry were all targeted.

The assassin turned out to be Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams , who was acting on the orders of snooker player Steve Davis, who wanted to be the most interesting Steve in the world.

Police drama Line Of Duty was also parodied, with stars Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston all appearing.


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Actor Jason Isaacs played a police officer being investigated for alleged links to the mysterious H, while comedian Lee Mack starred as his bumbling lawyer.

The sketch ended with a revelation about H's identity, which has so far baffled fans of the show.

Netflix's Stranger Things was also given the alternative treatment, as Orlando Bloom, Tan France, Jennifer Saunders, Mark Strong and Emma Thompson all entered The Upside Down.

Regular cast members Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink and Finn Wolfhard were also on hand to help them navigate the fictional world.


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The British public voted Gavin and Stacey's Smithy as the greatest Sport Relief sketch of all time.

Elsewhere, Sir Andy Murray played minigolf with comedian Romesh Ranganathan and Cheryl was stunned to see her close friend Kimberley Walsh taking part in a The Greatest Dancer spin-off.

BBC Radio 2's Jo Whiley, Rev Kate Bottley and Richie Anderson were given a heroes' welcome, as they joined Lineker and co-host Alex Scott on stage to complete their third triathlon in as many days as part of their gruelling Dare 2 Tri challenge for Sport Relief.

Arriving on stage, the group had already raised £510,909, having battled freezing cold open waters, punishing cycle routes and energy-sapping runs in Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester.

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