Sir Lenny Henry says making ready to current his closing Comic Relief is “very emotional”, and he is “incredibly proud” of what its fundraising has achieved.

The comic co-founded the charity 39 years in the past, and Friday’s Red Nose Day broadcast shall be his final as host.

“I think it needs new blood, and I’m definitely old blood. So it’s time for change,” Sir Lenny, 65, informed BBC News.

His co-hosts on this 12 months’s present, on BBC One from 19:00 GMT, embody Maya Jama, David Tennant and Davina McCall.

They shall be joined by Romesh Ranganathan, Joel Dommett, Rosie Ramsey and Paddy McGuinness.

“This is a good time to part ways and to allow a new generation to take the baton and move the whole thing on a bit,” Sir Lenny defined.

Friday’s highlights will embody a spoof film adaptation of The Traitors, by which Vigil and Gentleman Jack star Suranne Jones will play host Claudia Winkleman.

Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey will star as winner Harry, with David Walliams enjoying fellow contestant Paul and Asim Chaudhry as Jaz.

Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge, darts sensation Luke Littler, monetary knowledgeable Martin Lewis, pop group McFly and the Gladiators may even put in appearances through the three-hour present.

The forged of BBC mockumentary W1A will return in a sketch to try to decide on Sir Lenny’s substitute.

The high three are his 1986 efficiency as Romeo reverse boxer Frank Bruno’s Juliet; a 2016 sketch as Luther’s brother with Idris Elba; and a 1991 duet with pop singer Tom Jones.

“I loved working with Tom Jones, who kept saying, ‘If you want to hit a high note, you’ve got to clench’,” Sir Lenny recalled. “And I did, and by God we hit some high notes.”

Planning this 12 months’s occasion has left Sir Lenny “churned up with memories”, he stated.

“McFly are doing a medley of all the greatest Comic Relief songs, including The Stonk” – comedy duo’s Hale and Pace’s 1991 novelty fundraising music – “which I think shouldn’t be in there.”

Comic Relief has raised greater than £1.5bn over time, with the cash serving to to deal with poverty, present meals, healthcare and protected shelter for individuals within the UK and all over the world.

“The money that people have sent in repeatedly, every single time, has helped over 100 million people. That’s a lot of people,” Sir Lenny stated. “And there aren’t many organisations that can say that.”

He added: “If you’ve helped to do that, thank you. And it’s not about numbers any more. It’s about what you feel you can give because we know that there’s a struggle going on at the moment. People are having hard times.”

Sir Lenny will stay concerned sooner or later as life president of Comic Relief.

“I think I’ll be incredibly proud because it’s been a large part of my life and to see a new generation of people taking it forwards – we’ve got Maya Jama, David Tennant, Romesh Ranganathan – there’s such a huge amount of people coming up.

“It’ll be incredible to go away realizing that there is – I’m getting emotional now – a brand new group of individuals taking up and treating it the best way we did.”