Long-term Comic Relief supporter, DJ, and much-loved fashion icon Gok Wan has filmed over three hours of entertainment with UK dance music institution Defected/Glitterbox, which will play out online after the Red Nose Day BBC One night of TV from 11.30pm
- Comic Relief, Isolation Nation and Glitterbox have come together for the Red Nose Rave, the official Red Nose Day after party, hosted by Gok Wan online on Friday 19th March
- The Red Nose Rave will bring people together for an incredible night of dancing and entertainment from some of the biggest names in house music to mark the end of Red Nose Day 2021 in style
- Those at home can expect to be part of an exciting virtual party, as leading house music DJs Melvo Baptiste and The Shapeshifters, singer Teni Tinks and incredible Glitterbox performers have joined Gok to entertain viewers into the early hours
- The set was filmed at a special location, to be revealed soon, and will play out online after the Red Nose Day BBC One night of TV from 11.30pm
- The after party is inspired by Gok’s Isolation Nation lockdown sessions and Glitterbox’s multi-award-winning virtual parties
- The Rave will be on Comic Relief, Defected and Gok Wan’s Facebook Live and YouTube from 11.30pm on Friday 19th March and is free to join
- All donations made to Red Nose Day will help people struggling now more than ever
Friday 5th March: It’s just two weeks to go until this year’s Red Nose Day helps to bring the country together through the power of humour, with an unmissable evening of hilarious sketches, live performances and one-off comedy specials in store.
The evening of the big, red and ever-so-slightly silly fundraising extravaganza will not stop there, as DJ and much-loved fashion icon Gok Wan has stepped up to host the official after party – and everyone is invited to the first ever virtual Red Nose Rave.
The Red Nose Rave will take Gok’s Isolation Nation kitchen raves, which he started in April 2020, to new heights. Filmed at a very special location which will be announced soon, Glitterbox performers and leading house music DJs Melvo Baptiste and The Shapeshifters, with vocals from Teni Tinks, have come together for a fantastic night of music guaranteed to get everyone moving.
Gok’s Isolation Nation sessions launched during the first lockdown in April 2020, with the goal to lift the UK’s spirits for a few hours of fun, uninterrupted entertainment and to provide a sense of hope and community when people needed it most. Following the success of the kitchen rave sessions, this led to collaborations with Defected Records/Glitterbox, the award-winning world leaders in virtual partying. Joining forces with the party’s finest house music artists, Gok continues to lead the nation through lockdown with his live DJ sets on Facebook.
Gok Wan said: “I’m so excited to be hosting the first ever Red Nose Rave after party. I have been a huge supporter of Comic Relief for over ten years now and wanted to do something special for 2021. It’s been a difficult year for so many people and despite all the restrictions, we didn’t want it stopping us from coming together and having a fantastic time while supporting a great cause. It’s an excuse to get dressed up – or down – listen to some good music, and have a good old dance at home, because let’s face it, we all need a bit of fun.
“I started these raves in my kitchen during the first lockdown because of the impact it was having on all of us. I wanted to create a space where we could all have some fun, let our hair down and also create a sense of community. We hope to be able to bring our Isolation Nation sessions on the road as soon as we can, but in the meantime, we can all turn our kitchens, living rooms or bedrooms into the most exclusive nightclubs on the street on 19th March. “The virtual rave is free for anyone to come along to, and if you feel able, any donations made – no matter how big or small – will make such a difference.”
Money raised by Red Nose Day will help tackle issues including homelessness, hunger, domestic abuse, and mental health problems, all of which have been exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic, in the UK and around the world.
Entertainment from Gok Wan, Melvo Baptiste, The Shapeshifters and Teni Tinks will feature from 11.30pm on Friday 19th March on Facebook Live and YouTube. Details to join will be shared closer to the date. Richard Curtis, Co-founder of Comic Relief, said: “It is very exciting that we can all continue our Red Nose Day celebrations long into the night. Gok and Glitterbox, thank you so much for bringing us our first ever virtual rave.
“What I love most about Gok’s kitchen raves is that they have provided a form of escapism that I think we have all needed at times. And a real sense of togetherness. “It’s a guaranteed night of entertainment with Gok leading the charge, and any donations made will support so many important causes, both here at home and around the world.”
The Red Nose Rave is a collaboration between Comic Relief, Gok Wan’s Isolation Nation and Glitterbox. To find out more, and for covid-safe fundraising ideas, visit www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday
About Red Nose Day 2021
- Red Nose Day is back on Friday 19th March 2021 and will aim to bring the UK together to show just how powerful humour can be through the toughest of times
- The theme of this year’s Red Nose Day is Funny is Power – the campaign is all about empowering people to do good through humour, fun, and laughter. We want to show how funny can be so much more than we think, and even the smallest action can have an impact when we are all united as a force for good
- It has never felt more important to raise smiles and money for those who are struggling more than ever, as the continued impact of COVID-19 brings unprecedented challenges to many.
- Money raised by Red Nose Day this year will help tackle issues including homelessness, hunger, domestic abuse, and mental health problems, all of which have been exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic, in the UK and around the world.
- Visit https://www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday or follow @ComicRelief on social media for the latest Red Nose Day content, news and information
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief raises money to support people living incredibly tough lives. Through humour and stories of hope, we’ve shown that people can make a massive difference. We fund hundreds of amazing organisations who are working on the ground to support the most vulnerable people and communities in society including many of those hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis. This includes vulnerable children and young people, people who are homeless or who have been forced to flee their homes, women and families at risk of domestic abuse and those struggling with existing or new mental health problems.
For more info visit www.comicrelief.com
Red Nose Day is an initiative of Comic Relief, operating name of Charity Projects, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
About Glitterbox
Glitterbox is a nightlife phenomenon and record label conceptualised in 2015 by Simon Dunmore, founder of house music institution Defected Records (est. 1999). Since its inception, Glitterbox has generated an inclusive, uplifting party atmosphere designed to unite all ages, persuasions and walks of life on the dancefloor. With the aim of showcasing dance music in its purest forms with the world’s most respected DJs and rising stars, the party’s dancers, drag queens, performers and world class production have helped to make unforgettable dancefloor moments across the globe.
Hosting its 21st century disco at world renowned venues such as Printworks and Ministry of Sound in London, Hï Ibiza, and House Of Yes in New York, Glitterbox successfully navigated the move to the virtual world during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. One of the world’s hottest parties, their signature glittering production, euphoric moments and welcoming atmosphere were replicated digitally for the first time. Alongside parent company Defected Records, their multi award-winning and nominated Virtual Festival series throughout lockdown raised $1.2 million for the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, accumulated over 19 million views and featured on the BBC, Sky News, Le Monde, The Telegraph, Financial Times and thousands of other outlets. Awarded DJ Mag’s Best Virtual Festival and DigiDay’s Best Collaboration, Defected and Glitterbox’s online events became known as “ruling the lockdown.”
Meanwhile, the Glitterbox imprint releases music from the likes of Billy Porter, The Shapeshifters, Purple Disco Machine, Mousse T., Folamour, and many more. The accompanying compilations and radio show distil Glitterbox’s unique and infectious energy, digging deep into dance music history and the very finest new sounds. Truly a force to be reckoned with in global nightlife culture.