Stand-up comedians are launching a massive fundraising effort across Wales after one of the country’s best-known and loved entertainers was diagnosed with cancer last month. Rhod Gilbert, who is 53, is the most popular Welsh stand-up comedian of recent times, selling thousands of tickets across the UK over a 20-year career.
Most recently he has been touring the country with his epic, The Book of John tour, which started in 2019. The tour, which still had dates to run before it was postponed, saw the Carmarthen-born comic perform several sold-out shows at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena. He let WalesOnline follow him backstage for one of those shows, giving people an insight into what happens during the build-up to a big arena show in front of thousands of fans - you can read about that here.
Gilbert was due to perform at the new Swansea Arena in the middle of July but the show was postponed on medical advice. A short time later, Gilbert confirmed that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was to receive treatment at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, which he has been a patron of for years. During that time he has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for those suffering with cancer through various activities including trekking to Patagonia and to the top of Kilimanjaro, hosting various comedy nights in Wales and even virtual quizzes which were held online in lockdown.
