KATE, William and their family led the nation’s applause for NHS heroes on TV tonight.
The Duchess and Duke of Cambridge clapped outside their home with George, six, Charlotte, four and two-year-old birthday boy Louis.
Their 8pm appearance to salute those on the frontline against coronavirus was a highlight of BBC’s Big Night In.
It came after William had appeared in an hilarious sketch with telly legend Stephen Fry.
Fry reprised his iconic Blackadder character Lord Melchett who was getting uptight waiting for an important guest.
William, 37, appeared on a zoom call in a modern send-up of the classic comedy series. The Duke soon had viewers in stitches.
Fry paced up and down tutting as he waited for William to get on to the Zoom meeting.
He joked: “I thought the Germans were meant to be punctual.”
Then he chatted with the Prince on the screen — claiming he was with Blackadder and Baldrick.
Wills asked: “Have you seen anything good on TV? It’s hell without EastEnders.
Fry replied: “What about Tiger King?”
Wills then said: “I tend to avoid shows about royalty.”
Fry then gave him a 40-second warning to get his family together for the Clap for Carers before the Prince joked: “Let me see if I can find my socks. And shoes. And trousers.”
To a stirring soundtrack the footage moved outside to the duke’s door.
HEROES HONOURED
He and his family then came out to lead the applause – joined by millions around the UK who stood in the streets on doorsteps and on their balconies.
Doctors at the new Nightingale hospital in East London clapped for other frontline workers.
People blew whistles, beeped horns and even set off fireworks to show their support for the NHS.
In a street in York a man announced the clapping was starting by playing a trumpet.
Buildings across London were lit up with the NHS symbol to show support, while minister Dominic Raab and other staff members were shown outside the Foreign Office clapping.
Hospital staff in Newport were treated to a line of police cars outside of the hospital, with officers clapping them.
One man even dressed up as Mrs Brown’s boys character in Worcester to celebrate the NHS and other key workers.
Theo Woods took part in a 12-hour clapping marathon yesterday outside his home in Hartlepool.
Theo, 13, wore gloves to stop his hands going red raw from 8am until 8pm while raising money for the NHS.
BBC1’s Big Night In charity fund-raiser was a union between Comic Relief and Children In Need.
The two-minute Blackadder sketch was written by Richard Curtis.
A royal source said: “Prince William is a big, big fan of the Blackadder series.
“When he heard about this he wanted to be part of the event. He is comfortable with sending himself up. There has been a lot of seriousness and rightly so, but there is also time for the lighter side.”
The event was hosted by Lenny Henry and Matt Baker and included ten Doctor Who actors from the past 50 years thanking real doctors and other NHS staff.
Little Britain, Peter Kay, The Vicar of Dibley and Catherine Tate also made a TV return during the three-hour special.
Prince William’s telly cameo had echoes of the Queen who stole the show at the Opening ceremony for London’s 2012 Olympics with a James Bond sketch.
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