Red noses banned at Fame Academy

The noses are the insignia of the Comic Relief appeal

Red noses have been banned from the set of the BBC's celebrity Fame Academy special - even though it is raising funds for Comic Relief.

A spokeswoman for producers Endemol said the foam noses had been declared a fire risk to the filming venue.

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is being filmed at the Grade II-listed County Hall in central London.

"We have to comply with health and safety rules - it's not a conventional TV studio," the spokeswoman said.

"It's not just red noses, it's papers, bottles and bags as well."

All non-essential items are banned from the studio areas to protect the building, which sits on the banks of the River Thames and was opened in 1922 as the home of London's local government.

MacAulay is a regular on Have I Got News For You

Comedian Fred MacAulay has become the latest celebrity to leave the series, which sees celebrities honing their singing skills in front of a panel of experts.

The 50-year-old Scot was voted out by his fellow contestants after a viewers' vote shortlisted him for eviction.

"It's been great fun. It's great if I get through and too bad if I don't," he said before he was evicted.

Socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, who beat MacAulay in the vote, is now 5/4 favourite to win the final, which is during Friday's Comic Relief show.

The other remaining contestants are former EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, sports presenter Ray Stubbs, actress Tricia Penrose, DJ Colin Murray and children's TV presenter Angellica Bell.