Russell Howard reveals his baby son Felix died shortly after birth

Warning: This article contains content some may find distressing

Russell Howard has revealed his baby son Felix died shortly after his wife Cerys gave birth earlier this year.

In a post on Instagram, the 46-year-old comedian called it the "most devastating time of our lives".

Paying tribute to the hospital staff for their "extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity", he announced he and his wife were setting up The Felix Foundation in memory of their son, to help other families facing the same "devastating circumstances".

In his post describing their loss, Howard wrote: "Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth.

"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."

He described the support they received from a bereavement midwife named Lauren, who had lost her own baby, adding, "her care meant more to us than we can ever put into words".

Sharing further details of their time in hospital, he said, "Felix was placed in a cool cot which meant that my wife and I were able to spend precious hours with our beautiful boy.

"Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix."

Howard will host a special charity gala at The O2 in London on Monday 8 February, to help launch the foundation.

The show will feature comedy stars Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Aisling Bea, Guz Khan, Greg Davies, Mo Gilligan, Michelle Wolf and John Bishop.

Howard ended his post remembering Felix, saying: "We miss him 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."

The foundation will aim to relieve the needs of parents, siblings and other close family members affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death or related bereavements by providing funding for specialist facilities, training, or other forms of support.

Howard and his wife, Cerys Morgan, an NHS doctor, married in 2019 and have another little boy who was born in the summer of 2024.

Howard is best known for his shows Russell Howard's Good News and The Russell Howard Hour, as well as appearances on panel shows including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

He's also known for his live stand-up shows and two podcasts: Russell Howard's Five Brilliant Things and GoalLess.

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