Why Mike Bubbins brought a ticket to his own show

The first touching tale of the Fringe

comedy

Welsh comic Mike Bubbins bought a ticket for his own Edinburgh Fringe show yesterday, for a very touching reason.

The story harks back to his first (and only other previous) Edinburgh run in 2009, when he was still very new on the scene, as he revealed on social media.

'It was hard,' he said of that first run. 'Not coal mining hard, but hard.

'A lady called Anne Bradbeer whom I'd never met, and who had never seen me gig, bought a ticket to my show, because she'd heard me chatting to Rhod Gilbert on his radio show. I'm pretty sure that ticket was my first ever presale.

'She got in touch before the show, via Facebook, to say good luck. I thanked her and told her I was looking forward to meeting her.

'Unfortunately she had to go to hospital on the day, and missed the show. She got in touch to explain and I told her not to worry, and the next time I did Edinburgh I'd buy her ticket for her.

'Anne died the following year, I'd still never met her, and after that 2009 run I wouldn't have a gig in Edinburgh again until this evening.

'So I went to the Box Office last night and bought your ticket, Anne. As promised. I hope wherever you are you're happy, and thanks for taking a chance on someone who'd never been on your TV screen.'