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RTÉ Does Comic Relief was an Irish telethon event that took place on 26 June 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) hosted the four-hour telethon "RTÉ does Telethon" in aid of the Community Foundation for Ireland, a trust with a target of distributing funds to over 4,000 non-profit organisations at a national, regional, and local level throughout Ireland.

Background and origins

RTÉ last held a telethon in 2007, in aid of The People in Need Trust. Subsequent telethons had been cancelled following the economic crash in 2009.

From March to May, weekly appeals during The Late Late Show raised hundreds of thousands of Euro for various charities. RTÉ also broadcast the global One World: Together at Home television event in April.

The show developed from an annual St. Patrick's Day comedy show in Dublin's 3Arena, created by comedian Deirdre O'Kane and TV producer Darren Smith, the 2020 edition having been cancelled.

Main event

€5 million was raised on the night, including donations matched by the Government, with a number of Irish and international companies donating large sums of money towards the fund. Unlike People in Need campaigns, due to the lockdown restrictions, no community fundraising (such as bucket collections, sponsored activities, or merchandise sales) took place in the days leading up to the main event. These restrictions were also a big cause of the need for such a fundraiser, as many charities were unable to run their own annual events.

Presenters

The show was hosted by Deirdre O'Kane, Baz Ashmawy, Nicky Byrne and Jennifer Zamparelli, and Eoghan McDermott as a group, with a pause for RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock.

Sketches and features

Because of the lockdown, sketches were all recorded in advance, recorded content for the show included a short episode of Normal People with Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones reprising their roles of Connell and Marianne, and Fleabag's (hot) Priest played by Andrew Scott. Michael McElhatton reprised his Raymond "Rats" Doyle from the 2000 show Paths to Freedom. Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, and Dylan Llewellyn, played Derry Girls-versions of themselves in a sketch with Saoirse Ronan. Peter McDonald and Pat Shortt contributed sketches and the Home School Hub team performed shout-outs to some of their viewers. Donncha O'Callaghan beat Roy Keane and Hilary Rose in a How Cork are You? quiz. Others included Aisling Bea, Hozier, Samantha Mumba, Amy Huberman, Chris O'Dowd, Christy Moore and host of other Irish and international celebrities, comedians, actors, and musicians.

Ray D'Arcy, Dustin the Turkey, Zig and Zag had a Den reunion. This segment was followed by the announcement of a full reunion series beginning in November.

A mockumentary on the history of The Panel featured interviews from its presenter Dara Ó Briain, and panellists Ed Byrne, Neil Delamere, Mairead Farrell, Andrew Maxwell and Colin Murphy as well as guests Adam Hills and David Mitchell.

Westlife conducted a raffle to win a performance at a venue to be chosen by the winner.

See also

• The Big Night In — equivalent event in the UK in aid of BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief

References

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7. "Brendan Gleeson glad to get home before lockdown". RTÉ TEN. 11 April 2020. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
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15. ^ Gataveckaite, Gabija (1 July 2020). "Comic Relief host Deirdre O'Kane: I nearly dropped the Normal Older People skit from show". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
16. "When RTE decided to do Comic Relief, I'm not sure they intended the nine o'clock news to be a welcome relief from the comedy". Independent.ie. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
17. "Baz Ashmawy Announced Billed As Presenter For RTE Does Comic Relief". Extra.ie. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020.
18. "RTÉ Does Comic Relief: Normal People stars sign up for charity fundraiser". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
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20. ^ Sweeney, Tanya. "RTÉ Does Comic Relief: Who, what, where, when and how". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
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22. ^ "WATCH: Hozier shares hilarious outtake reel from his Comic Relief sketch with Aisling Bea &#124". Lovin.ie. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020.
23. "RTE Comic Relief viewers in floods of tears at Christy Moore's animated rendition of The Voyage". RSVP.ie. 26 June 2020. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020.
24. "Brian and Amy to take on Chris and Dawn in Comic Relief duet". Independent.ie. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020.
25. Condon, Ali (3 July 2020). "Niall Horan fans apologise to Ray D'Arcy for backlash following Comic Relief". Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
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28. "Westlife set to offer fans the chance to WIN a performance at their wedding". Goss.ie. 19 June 2020. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020.

External links

• Official website

• 2020 in Irish television
• 2020 in the Republic of Ireland
• Charitable activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Comic Relief
• COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
• Irish television specials
• Telethons
• Television shows about the COVID-19 pandemic