People
Russell Brand reveals his mother is battling breast cancer again
By Stylist Team
Updated 8 years ago
Russell Brand has cancelled a sell-out show at the Derby Assembly Rooms this evening after revealing that his mum Barbara is suffering from breast cancer, having previously battled the illness before.
The comedian pulled out of the gig for his Messiah Complex tour a day after he also cancelled shows in Coventry and Glasgow, citing "family reasons."
Brand told his fans about his mother's diagnosis earlier this week in his daily YouTube show The Trews.
"My mother has currently got breast cancer," he said, adding that she had been attending NHS support groups that she found useful. The topic came up as Brand talked about how the NHS was "being destroyed" by budget cuts. He also discussed how media sensationalisation of cancer wasn't useful to sufferers like his mother.
The 38-year-old touched on the diagnosis with his followers on Twitter as well, saying: "Sorry to eff you around with gigs. My mum ain't well. Tix will be honoured or refunded."
Brand's mother was first diagnosed with uterus cancer when he was eight years old. She battled breast cancer a year later and once again around the same time as Brand was leaving home aged 16. In a video to promote the CoppaFeel! campaign in 2010 (below), Brand talked about his mother's cancer with her, as he encouraged other women to check their breasts for lumps.
"You had breast cancer, didn't you?'" he said to Barbara, who appeared alongside him. "I did have breast cancer, yes," she replied.
He then asked her how she feels now, to which she answered, "I'm very, very well."
It's not yet clear when Brand will resume his Messiah Complex tour. Upcoming dates in Plymouth and London have been cancelled, in order for the comedian to be by his mother's side.
A statement from Derby’s Assembly Rooms said, "We are very sorry, but have just been informed by the promoter that due to a family illness, Russell is unable to perform this Friday. The date has been rescheduled for Monday, April 14, 2014."
Barbara raised her son alone after his dad left home when he was six months old. The two have a close relationship and he is often pictured at events with her by his side. "She's so proud of me she cries," he once said in an interview with the Observer.
Take a look at Brand and his mother discussing cancer in 2010 in the video, below.
Photos: Rex Features
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