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Love Actually cast to reunite for a special sequel in aid of Red Nose Day

Love Actually is to get a sequel - as Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Rowan Atkinson reunite for a Comic Relief special.

Red Nose Day Actually will revisit the characters "to discover what they're up to in 2017".

The 10-minute film will be shown as part of BBC One's Red Nose Day broadcast on Friday March 24.

The original film came out in 2003 and other cast members returning for the special film are Lucia Moniz, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Olivia Olson and Marcus Brigstocke.

But Emma Thompson, who gave one of the most memorable performances, is not on the list, although she may yet sign up. A spokesman said some original cast members are juggling prior work commitments. Alan Rickman, who played Thompson's husband, died last year.

Richard Curtis said: “Over the years I’ve enjoyed doing Red Nose Day specials of TV things I’ve worked on – Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and Mr Bean. It seemed like a fun idea this year to do a special sketch based one of my films, since Red Nose Day is now in both the UK and America.

"I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to Love Actually, but I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to.

"Who has aged best? - I guess that’s the big question… or is it so obviously Liam?"

He added: "We’ve been delighted and grateful that so many of the cast are around and able to take part - and it’ll certainly be a nostalgic moment getting back together and recreating their characters 14 years later. We hope to make something that’ll be fun - very much in the spirit of the original film and of Red Nose Day - and which we hope will help bring lots of viewers and cash to the Red Nose Day shows.”