NBC’s Red Nose Day Special To Kick Off With Ben Stiller-Produced ‘Celebrity Escape Room’ With Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow & Adam Scott

Denise Petski
·3 min read

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EXCLUSIVE: Red Nose Day, the national fundraising campaign to end child poverty, returns to NBC for the annual three-hour primetime charity special on Thursday, May 21.

In partnership with Comic Relief, NBC will kick off the night at 8 PM with Celebrity Escape Room, sort of a show within a show, executive produced by Ben Stiller and hosted by Jack Black, featuring comedy stars Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Adam Scott. It will be followed by the two-hour Red Nose Day Special.

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As the all-knowing “Game Master” host, Black puts his celebrity friends to the test as they work together under intense pressure to beat the clock, unlocking a series of surprising puzzle rooms to ultimately engineer their great escape.

Celebrity Escape Room “combines the drama and tension of a real-life video game with the side-splitting allure of the ultimate party game,” says NBC. Stiller, Cox, Kudrow and Scott will work together and channel their inner Sherlocks to decipher clues and solve puzzles, brainstorm for solutions and combine their comedic talents to ultimately gain their freedom before time runs out.

In addition to Stiller, Celebrity Escape Room will be executive produced by Black, Christine Taylor, Nicky Weinstock, Amiira Ruotolo-Behrent and Lee Metzger (The Voice). The show is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio and Red Hour Productions.

The annual Red Nose Day Special will follow Celebrity Escape Room with an entertainment showcase featuring music, comedy and poignant films. The films will share stories of children and young people who have been affected by poverty and how Red Nose Day funds have helped change their story for good.

“Kicking off with Ben Stiller’s hilarious Celebrity Escape Room, NBC’s Red Nose Day lineup is the perfect vehicle to help drive this year’s fundraising efforts,” said Paul Telegdy, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We are privileged to continue our support of this incredible cause in partnership with our amazing friends at Comic Relief US as we work together on behalf of children in need around the world.”

“Through the power of laughter and entertainment, Red Nose Day serves as a galvanizing force, rallying Americans to come together to end child poverty,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. “Together with our incredible partners and celebrity supporters, we are working to change the story for good for millions of children in the U.S. and around the world.”

The multi-week Red Nose Day campaign launches Monday, April 13 when the official Red Noses go on sale exclusively at Walgreens locations nationwide in more than 9,000 stores across the country. All net proceeds of Red Nose sales go to the Red Nose Day Fund. Between April 13-May 30, Walgreens will donate $.50 from each Red Nose sold to Comic Relief.

Funds raised through Red Nose Day are split evenly between domestic and international programs that ensure children in need are safe, healthy and educated. The goal is to address the short-term needs of children living in poverty and also foster long-term change to break the poverty cycle and provide hope for a better future. Children and young people who benefit from Red Nose Day-supported programs span all 50 states, Puerto Rico and some of the poorest communities across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Since launching in the U.S. in 2015, Red Nose Day has raised $200 million and positively impacted the lives of nearly 25 million children.

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