What a relief! The charity marathon’s finally over...

CHANNEL HOPPING: THEY think it’s all over . . . surely, for the love of God, it is now.

BBC’s coverage of Sport Relief has swamped the channel for some time. Christine Bleakley even water-skied across it.

The fund-raising effort flirted with the schedulers like a lost WAG at Stamford Bridge — even Cheryl Cole was allowed in to Friday’s flagship live show. And it’s already been steam-rollering through the turnstiles on “EastEnders” and “The One Show” for the best part of a fortnight.

Sport Relief specials “A Question of Smug”, “Masterchef” “Outnumbered” and “Strictly” did nothing to stem the flow. All for chaa-ridy, granted, but exhausting stuff nonetheless.

It was even taking over on the pitch, too — only 24 hours earlier on Channel Five, lie-low Lille gave more than charitable account of themselves on Merseyside.

Then there was “Million Pound Bike Ride” where camp comic David Walliams saw more than a little Britain in a cycle relay from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Eddie Izzard was another cross-dressing funnyman getting in on the act with his own marathon effort on foot. If Pauline Calf had teamed up with Lily Savage on a tandem we’d have had the full set.

There was truly no getting away from the Sport Relief juggernaut which gradually descended into not so much marathon fund-raiser, more presenter-a-thon.

Gary Lineker kicked-off Friday’s proceedings with Bleakley, played in Richard Hammond and Claudia Winkleman, then handed the baton to Fearne Cotton, Davina McCall, Patrick Kielty and James Corden.

Highlight of the night was “Gavin and Stacey” star Smithy’s cameo appearance as Mr Motivator. Corden stuck to what he knows best by getting back into character as the Chavvy Essex boy-next-door and putting first David Beckham, then the Manchester United squad through their paces with some evangelic words of wisdom.

The way he embraced Wayne Rooney during an uplifting blast of “Simply the Best” must have had an effect . . . the United striker went on to bag his 33rd goal of the season on Sunday. Back of the net.


Soap roar: Rita returned to the Street as a volunteer in Emily’s charity shop but was on a one-woman mission to wreak havoc. “Clothing donations? It’s more like socially-acceptable fly-tipping.”


Soap bore: Preggers Molly gave possible dad Kev moaning sickness in Corrie by moving back in with her ex, Tyrone. The two mechanics may need more than their dipsticks to sort this one out.