Blackburn’s AJ Odudu will host Comic Relief's aftershow tonight – and her first co-host, Joel Dommett, has been replaced after contracting Covid-19.

Bolton-born comedian, Vernon Kay, will join AJ in hosting The Great Comic Relief Prizeathon which continues after the main BBC One show airs.

The show will be serving up live music, comedy sketches and a chance for viewers to support Comic Relief by entering some unmissable Text to Win prize draws.

Vernon made the announcement on Instagram after photoshopping his face over Joel’s.

In the post he said: “Covid has caught Captain Fantastic, Joel Dommett, so I’m going to be trying to fill his size 11.5 shoes.

“Get the vitamins in, Joel, and join in the fun from the sofa? You could win a car!”

AJ, the former St Bedes High School pupil, has already been rehearsing the show in Manchester.

She posted an update to her Instagram page and said she has “always wanted” to host a Comic Relief show.

Yesterday (17 March) she said: “I have woken up in sunny Manchester.

“I am here in preparation for Comic Relief which I am hosting alongside Vernon Kay at 10pm, live on BBC One [tonight].

“It is one of the best nights of the year for me and I have always wanted to host on it so I feel very much like this is a real pinch me moment.

“What an opportunity to raise lots of cash for charity, so I hope you all get involved tomorrow.

“I’m gonna get to the studio tomorrow and meet the gang for the main event.”

The main Red Nose Day special, which starts at 7pm tonight (18 March), will feature hilarious sketches, live performances and one-off comedy specials while showcasing the incredible impact donations have made in the UK and across the world.

This year’s Comic Relief is set to be one of the best yet, with some star studded appearances from French and Saunders, Jack Whitehall, Tom Daley, Rose Ayling Ellis and Giovanni Pernice, David Walliams, Guz Khan, Matt Lucas, Jay Blades, and many more.

Comic Relief will air tonight on BBC One and iPlayer from 7pm. The Great Comic Relief Prizeathon will air after BBC’s News at Ten.