Comic taken ill 'at 70mph on the motorway'

Jason Manford has revealed the reason he had to cancel shows this weekend was because he’s undergone emergency appendix surgery.

The comic told how he got appendicitis while driving at 70mph on the motorway – and was rushed to a hospital in Manchester for the operation.

He said it was a ‘bit of a scary & extremely painful 24 hours but thankful to our NHS & my incredible nurse mum who’s a godsend in a health crisis’

Manford said he was ‘gutted’ after pulling  his performance at the Alban Arena in St Albans, Hertfordshire, last night just hours before the doors opened, then rescheduling all this weekend’s shows, too.

He wrote on social media: ‘I thought I could get by on antibiotics and [have] surgery at a later date so I could still do the shows, but was advised not to. Also means I can’t fly out to Portugal on Monday to join my family on holiday!  Ah well, such is life.  Thanks for all the "Get Well Soon messages.’

His dates on his long-running A Manford All Seasons tour at  Oxford New Theatre,  Lincoln Engine Shed and Skegness Embassy Hall have all been escheduled to November 16;  September 7 and February 15 respectively with the St Albans gig moved to October 20. Fans unable to attend the rescheduled performances will have the option to request a refund. 

Appendix surgery all went well, now in recovery with my Vimto, they serve it in all Manchester hospitals ????
Bit of a scary & extremely painful 24 hours but thankful to our NHS & my incredible nurse mum who’s a godsend in a health crisis! pic.twitter.com/x7vX3CvJos

— Jason Manford (@JasonManford) July 31, 2025

I thought I could get by on antibiotics and surgery at a later date so I could still do the shows, but was advised not to.
Also means I can’t fly out to Portugal on Monday to join my family on holiday! ????
Ah well, such is life.
Thanks for all the ‘Get Well Soon’ messages.

— Jason Manford (@JasonManford) July 31, 2025

Published: 31 Jul 2025