Russell Howard has revealed that his and his wife Cerys’s son, Felix, died just hours after being born.
Felix died several months ago, the Mock the Week comedian explained, but he and Cerys, a doctor, did not announce they were expecting at the time and had chosen to grieve in private.
“Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth,” Howard, 46, wrote.
“During the most devastating time of our lives, the hospital staff who cared for us showed extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity. They helped us navigate an unimaginable heartache and gave us support when we needed it most.”
The British comedian shared his family’s tragic loss with his followers as he announced that they had established the Felix Foundation, aimed at relieving the needs of those affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth or neonatal death.
He also praised their bereavement nurse, Lauren, who had experienced a similar ordeal herself and decided to retrain as a midwife in order to give families the best care possible.
“Her care meant more to us than we can ever put into words,” Howard said. “During our time in hospital, Felix was placed in a cool cot, which meant that my wife and I were able to spend precious hours with our beautiful boy. We could hold him, talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him.
“Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix.”
Howard said that he and Cerys had been “overwhelmed” by the level of care they had received and wanted to help other families through their foundation, “supporting the additional training of midwives in specialist bereavement care, through yearly grants to enable them to access resources such as counselling qualifications”.
The funding would also help provide “emotional support and practical assistance… providing or funding dedicated rooms, facilities, equipment and resources within hospitals, maternity units, neonatal units and other appropriate healthcare settings, supporting the care, wellbeing and dignity of babies and their families”.
In the same post, Howard announced that he will host a charity event to raise funds for the Felix Foundation at the O2 Arena in London on 8 February 2027, featuring an all-star comedy lineup including Jimmy Carr, Greg Davies, John Bishop, Michael McIntyre and Mo Gilligan.
“Every single one of these incredible performers is giving their time completely free of charge,” Howard revealed. “I will never forget their generosity.”
Concluding his message, he said that he and Cerys would miss Felix “dearly, every single day, but we take some comfort in knowing that his name will stand for kindness, compassion and laughter, and that his legacy may help other families through the darkest moments of their lives.”
“We would love it if you came along and helped us make Felix’s legacy something truly special,” he said.
Howard and Cerys, an NHS geriatric doctor, share another son, who was born in May 2025. The couple have been together since 2004.
The comedian recently concluded a sold-out run of shows at Edinburgh Fringe festival, and is now on a stand-up tour of the UK.
The Sands national helpline provides support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. You can call 0808 164 3332 free of charge, or email helpline@sands.org.uk
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