Sir Lenny Henry has said it is “time to hand on to the new generation” as he confirmed he will host Comic Relief for the final time this year.
The actor and comedian, 65, who co-founded the charity in 1985 alongside Love Actually screenwriter Richard Curtis, has been hosting the BBC show Red Nose Day for decades.
He said he has only had one year off from the role, and that was when he was starring in a stage production of Othello.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I’m not going to be hosting any more Comic Reliefs after this.
“I will make special appearances because I’m a life president. I’ll be doing fundraising stuff, but I just won’t be hosting on the night.
“I’ll probably still do documentaries and announcements and things. But this is my last time of hosting the evening.
“I’ve only ever had one night off. That was …