Dermot O’Leary is dancing all the way to the bank – having raised more than quarter of a million pounds for Comic Relief.

The DJ and TV presenter is starring in a 24-hour dance marathon that has seen him team up with names including Sir Terry Wogan, Strictly Come Dancing champion Caroline Flack and Sam Smith.

He started his moves at BBC Broadcasting House in London and will end up at the London Palladium after dancing down Regent Street.

By 3pm today he had raised £247,000, burnt 8,700 calories and covered the equivalent of 53 miles.

Dermot has complained of sore and swollen legs. But crowds have gathered outside the BBC HQ to cheer him on, and some famous faces have been joining in to help keep his spirits up.

Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, Celebrity Juice star Keith Lemon and comedian Jack Dee are among the stars who have been dancing with Dermot, along with kids’ TV favourite Rastamouse.

He has also danced with Strictly 2014 champion Caroline Flack and Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt.

Dermot O'Leary (James Flood/Comic Relief)
Dermot O’Leary (James Flood/Comic Relief)

Dermot began his 24-hour dance marathon live on The One Show with Alex Jones and Matt Baker on Thursday evening and will finish live on BBC One on the Red Nose Day night of television at The London Palladium.

Money raised will help give street children in Kenya a brighter future and also help people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across Africa.

You can sponsor him at rednoseday.com/Dermot or by texting DERMOT to 70005.

Before he began, the 41-year-old TV presenter revealed: “I rang mum today, because I thought she was in Ireland, and when I put the phone down I thought – ‘That was quite rude’.

“She said, ‘Well you know, you’re not the best dancer, but we’re still all behind you. You were never gifted with it.’ That was about three hours before I came here, that’s a great team talk!”