Comedian cancels his Edinburgh Fringe run

Raymond Mearns has suffered a stroke but says he ‘will be okay’.

The Glaswegian comedian posted a picture of himself in hospital as he told fans he was having to cancel his run of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.

He had a stand-up show, Alive in The Hive at the Beehive Inn, as well as running a comedy walking tour around the old town.

The cancellation will make this the first Fringe he’s missed since 2011, save for the cancelled 2020 festival, having made his debut in 2001

Taking to Facebook, Mearns, who is in his mid-50s, posted: ‘Some clarity regarding my situation.

‘I suffered a stroke last Friday morning and was admitted to hospital yesterday and upon advice from the doctors I had no option but to cancel this year’s show and the comedy walk.

‘Apologies if you bought tickets but these will now be refunded by the fringe office.’

He added that his partner Annie McKeown was looking after him. Meanwhile, friends have set up a crowdfunding appeal to help make up for his lost income while he recovers.

Last month, Mearns was credited with saving the life of a hiker in the mountains of northern California.

Vet Iain McAllister found himself confronted by a bear, but suddenly Mearns’ voice boomed out of his the walker's phone, startling the creature.

The 60-year-old had been listening to the podcast version of BBC Radio Scotland’s Breaking the News without headphones. He told the Daily Record: ‘I knew I had to make a loud noise, but before I had a chance the bear heard Raymond and ran in the opposite direction.

’I was listening at full volume, and it’s fortuitous that Raymond was talking at the time because I don’t know if [host] Des Clarke’s accent would have scared a bear.’

Published: 8 Aug 2023