Underbelly's cancer fundraiser returns

Nish Kumar, Rhys James, Rosie Jones and Larry Dean are among the comedians taking part in Underbelly’s eighth annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit, it has been announced today.

Emmanuel Sonubi, Catherine Bohart and Felicity Ward are also on the bill with Justin Moorhouse hosting.

The benefit was set up by Underbelly in 2017 after Alfie Bartlam, the son of the company's co-founder Ed Bartlam, was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare brain cancer called ependymoma. Alfie died, aged seven, three days after the end of the festival in 2019.

Bartlam said: 'It's always such a special moment for us to announce the line-up to Underbelly's Big Brain Tumour Benefit. I'm incredibly grateful to the brilliant comedians and audiences for continuing to generously support this event. 

‘This year's show marks the start of an incredibly exciting new fundraising drive for us, supporting the work of world-leading oncologist Professor Richard Gilbertson and his lab at the Cancer Research Centre in Cambridge. U

'Underbelly and our wider Angel Child Fund will be fundraising for two new, groundbreaking projects that Professor Gilbertson and his team are working on to find cures for brain tumours in children. There is genuinely no better person for us (and you the audience!) to be supporting in this field, and we're thrilled to launch this partnership at the show this year.’

Brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children and adults under 40, and shorten life expectancy by an average of 27 years, more than any other cancer.

The Big Brain Tumour Benefit takes place at  7pm on Wednesday, August 19 at McEwan Hall in Edinburgh. Tickets are on sale here.

Published: 11 Aug 2026