Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell and Mindy Kaling among stars to take part in 'Covid is No Joke' live stream comedy fest

Some of the biggest names in comedy will be coming together for a live stream event to bring laughter and raise money during the Covid-19 crisis.

Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Banks and Mindy Kaling are among the names set to take part in the “Covid is No Joke” virtual comedy festival, which will be live streamed on Americare's YouTube channel on Saturday May 2 from 4am (UAE time).

The event will feature a mixture of stand-up, comedy sketches and heartfelt messages to raise money for Americares, an organisation providing equipment, training and support to healthcare workers in the US and around the world.

There will also be stand-up on the night from Chris Mann, Dwayne Perkins, Stephanie Beatriz, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Ike Barinholtz, Wayne Brady, D’Arcy Carden, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Cotter, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Gal Gadot, Kyle Gass, Linda Hamilton, Chelsea Handler, Kerri Louise, Jonathan Mangum, Patton Oswalt, Natalia Reyes, Adam Scott, Finn Straley, Paige Weldon, and Jenny Yang, as well as a special performance from Sia.

It is the latest live stream event to raise funds and awareness during the coronavirus crisis. Some of the biggest names in music, including Elton John, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Taylor Swift, came together for global fundraising event "One World: Together at Home", in partnership with the World Health Organisation.

A number of actors and stars will also be taking part in a live streaming event on Saturday, May 2. More than 200 stars and influential figures will take part in "The Call to Unite" event, a 24-hour livestream offering performances, lessons and conversations aimed at helping those feeling isolated by the pandemic.

So far, the list of famous participants includes the likes of Naomi Campbell, Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, Yo-Yo Ma, Julia Roberts, Jay Shetty, Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria, Marie Kondo and former president George W Bush.

Taking place from 4am UAE time on Saturday, May 2 to 4am on Sunday, May 3, the event will be soliciting donations to provide relief for those impacted by Covid-19 via GiveDirectly, a US charity that helped people on low incomes, and Points of Light, a charity which assists non-profit organisations in their relief efforts.

The livestream will be available on The Call to Unite’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch and LinkedIn channels, and parts of it will also be available via Spotify.