BIG BRAIN TUMOUR BENEFIT 2022 Announced As Part of the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe

Underbelly today announced the line-up for its fourth Big Brain Tumour Benefit in its biggest venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, McEwan Hall. 100% of box office income going to The Brain Tumour Charity, the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally.

So far, Underbelly has raised nearly £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity from these benefits alone, including £30,000 at the last Fringe benefit in 2019.

Jason Byrne (MC), John Bishop, Jessica Fostekew, Rhys Nicholson, Michael Akadiri, Phil Wang and Maisie Adam are confirmed to appear in this year's show with more guests to be announced.

The show was created by Underbelly in 2017 following the diagnosis of an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer called Ependymoma in Alfie Bartlam, the son of Underbelly's co-founder Ed Bartlam.

Brain tumour research is severely underfunded in the UK and yet represents the biggest cancer killer for under 40s.

One of the hottest tickets on the Fringe, the annual line up sees star comedians throw support behind of The Brain Tumour Charity. MC'ed by one of the biggest selling comedians on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Jason Byrne, the line-up includes eponymous host of The John Bishop Show, Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee for Best Show Jessica Fostekew, Phil Wang fresh off the back of his Netflix special Philly Philly Wang Wang Wang,winner of the Most Outstanding Show at the 2022 Melbourne Comedy Festival Rhys Nicholson, Michael Akadiri, winner of the Komedia New Comedian Of The Year Award 2020 and Maisie Adam, "one of the UK's funniest comedians" according to The London Evening Standard.

All box office income goes directly to The Brain Tumour Charity, a cause close to Underbelly's heart. Co-founder of Underbelly, Ed Bartlam's son Alfie was just 4 years old when he was diagnosed with a form of aggressive brain cancer in 2017 and sadly died in 2019.

Research into brain tumours is severely underfunded in the UK and yet represents the biggest cancer killer for under 40s. Around 500 children and young people in the UK are diagnosed each year but diagnosis times of childhood brain tumours are longer in the UK than in many other countries. The Brain Tumour Charity's Better Safe Than Tumour campaign aims to raise awareness of the common signs and symptoms in both children and adults and to support the public to get any concerning or persistent symptoms checked out by their doctor.

Ed Bartlam, Underbelly's co-founder said: "I am so delighted that we are able to present the fourth of our Brain Tumour Benefit shows at Underbelly this year. The support from comedians and audiences for these shows has been incredible and we've raised over £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity since our first show in 2017. My son Alfie died aged 7 from brain cancer three days after the 2019 Fringe so this year's shows will be particularly important and pertinent. We are committed to raising £1.4M in three years for specific paediatric brain tumour research and new treatments through a range of fundraising events. This annual Fringe show is a crucial part of that so do please buy a ticket to watch a truly amazing line up of comedians and raise money for this vital cause. It's a win win!"

Gina Almond, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: "We are so proud of our continued partnership and loyal support from Underbelly and it is just brilliant that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit is happening again this year; such a welcome return after the pandemic. Our brilliant partnerships are key to raising vital funds for research and awareness of the devastating impact of a brain tumour.

"Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 and they reduce life expectancy by 27 years, the highest of any cancer and this must change. The Brain Tumour Charity is committed to fighting brain tumours on all fronts with a goal of doubling survival rates and halving the harm that brain tumours have on quality of life - and it is only through the support from so many people like Ed, Charlie and the brilliant Underbelly team that we can strive towards those goals.

"It's fantastic news that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit is back this year, and we know it will be a blast. Thank you all for your incredible support."

To book tickets for Underbelly's Big Brain Tumour Benefit visit: http://www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/whats-on/underbellys-big-brain-tumour-benefit.