Russell Howard has shared the news that his baby son, Felix, died shortly after birth earlier this year. The comedian announced the loss on Instagram on Friday, September 4, and revealed that his family has established the Felix Foundation to support others who have experienced similar tragedy.
Family's tribute to son Felix
In his social media post, the 46-year-old said: "Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth." He described the care received from hospital staff as showing "extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity" during the most devastating time of their lives.
Howard also paid tribute to a bereavement midwife named Lauren, who had experienced a similar tragedy. "After losing her own baby, Lauren retrained as a midwife so that she could help other families going through what she had been through. Her care meant more to us than we can ever put into words," he said.
Precious hours with Felix
The comedian explained that Felix was placed in a cool cot during their time in hospital, allowing him and his wife, Cerys Morgan, to spend precious hours with their son. "We could hold him, talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him," he said, describing those hours as among the most precious memories they have of Felix.
He added: "We were overwhelmed by the care we received, and we made a promise to each other: that we would try to help other families who find themselves facing the same devastating circumstances."
Felix Foundation and charity gala
The Felix Foundation aims to relieve the needs of parents, siblings and other close family members affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death or related bereavement. Its work includes supporting additional training of midwives in specialist bereavement care, funding resources for emotional support and practical assistance, and providing or funding dedicated rooms, facilities, equipment and resources within hospitals, maternity units, neonatal units and other appropriate healthcare settings.
The foundation will also provide information, guidance, signposting and other resources to affected families, and raise awareness of late miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal loss and related bereavement, and the support needs of affected families.
Howard will host a charity gala at the O2 Arena on February 8, 2027, featuring performances from comedians Michael McIntyre, John Bishop and Jimmy Carr. He said: "Every single one of these performers is giving their time completely free of charge. I will never forget their generosity."
Legacy of kindness and laughter
Howard said: "The Felix Foundation is named after our beautiful son. We miss him dearly, every single day, but we take some comfort in knowing that his name will stand for kindness, compassion and laughter, and that his legacy may help other families through the darkest moment of their lives."
In a separate context, Howard, a Liverpool FC fan, previously spoke to the ECHO about his early career, recalling his first payday at Rawhide comedy night on the Albert Dock. He said: "It was £50 to open on a Thursday in 2001. It was the greatest. I did the Rawhide a lot. That walk around the dock with my notes, memorising those 20 minutes. I spent a lot of time pounding those pavements."
