Tickets snapped up for Watson's show

Mark Watson’s marathon 25-hour show sold out in just four minutes today.

The stand-up is reviving the extra-long format for Comic Relief in the 289-seat Pleasance in London, from 11pm on February 28.

This morning he tweeted: ‘25-hour show sold out in 4 minutes. I TOLD YOU TO PANIC. Asking if we can get extra tickets (I don't really want to do an extra show)...’

It his first marathon show since 2009 – when he vowed to quit, but was coaxed back to celebrate 25 years of Red Nose Day.

Comic Relief officially launched this year’s appeal today – even if celebrities including Dara O Briain and Jack Dee have already embarked on their charity challenge on the Zambezi.

On the March 15 telethon, Rowan Atkinson will appear in a sketch as the Archbishop of Canterbury; there will be another skit from the cast of Channel 4’s Fresh Meat and a special edition of Russell Howard's Good News. And in a promotional trailer, Miranda Hart says she will ‘ruin an episode of Call The Midwife’.

Presenters will include Michael McIntyre, Rob Brydon, John Bishop, Jack Whitehall, Jonathan Ross and Lenny Henry.

And Russell Brand will host a star-studded benefit at Wembley on March 6, featuring musical acts and stand-up sets from Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle, Jason Manford, Simon Amstell, Noel Fielding and Doc Brown. Tickets for this go on sale at 9am tomorrow.

Click here for the official Red Nose Day website.

Published: 31 Jan 2013