200,000 People Chase Car

The surprise star of the hit TV programme Comic Relief does Celebrity Driving School is set to be a silver, 3 door Ford Fiesta - registration number EX52 UAR.

After three episodes of the celebrity studded programme, over 200,000 calls have been made by phone or text, to win the car in which pop idol Gareth Gates has been learning to drive – making this possibly the most sought after vehicle in Britain.

To date, competition entries have raised £150,000 for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day - with one episode left to broadcast on BBC ONE at 8.30pm this Friday.

Comic Relief does Celebrity Driving School has seen six top TV stars hit the nation's screens, roads and numerous inanimate objects in this one-off series on BBC ONE, in support of Red Nose Day 2003.

Viewers will find out if the celebrities have passed or failed at the same time as the celebrities themselves - live on the night of Friday March 14 during Comic Relief Red Nose Night, from 7pm on BBC ONE.

Ford of Britain managing director, Paul Thomas said: "We're 100 per cent behind Comic Relief's efforts to help both our local and global communities. Comic Relief does Celebrity Driving School is proving to be a hit and we're delighted that so many people are taking part in the competition to win Gareth's car and support Red Nose Day 2003."

Ford supplied the cars for the celebrities to learn to drive and with Comic Relief is giving away pop idol Gareth Gates' Ford Fiesta.

Kevin Cahill, chief executive of Comic Relief added: "Every pound Comic Relief gets directly from the public, including the money raised through this competition, will be a pound which goes directly towards helping Comic Relief in its goal of tackling poverty and social injustice in Africa and here in the UK.

"We wish all the celebrities the best of luck with their tests and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for the big day!"

Details of how to enter the competition to win Gareth's Fiesta will be shown at the end of each episode, or can be found on Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2003 website (www.rednoseday.com ).