Brother’s death stopped Jo touring
JO BRAND has told how the death of her brother in the middle of her 2015 tour put her off going on the road again.
The comedian said she cancelled five shows when he died from stomach cancer and when she went back on tour was too grief-stricken to tell fans about the tragedy.
She has since issued an apology to audiences at those later shows for being “on automatic pilot”.
The former psychiatric nurse, who has spent more than 30 years in comedy, spoke of her heartbreak at last weekend’s Glastonbury Festival.
Jo, 61, who presentsthe Great British Bake Off spin-off Another Slice, revealed she has focused on writing and family time. She has written a film script which she is hoping to get produced.
Opening up about the loss of her younger sibling and her feelings regarding returning to the stage for a full comedy tour she told fans: “I would definitely think about it.” Adding: “People don’t know me well because I’m quite a private person and I’m not ontwitter or anything.
“People actually don’t know what’s going on in your life and the last time I toured, which was in 2015, my little brother died while I was on tour. He had stomach cancer and it was an absolutely devastating time for me.
“I had five gigs off and then I had to finish the tour which was like another two months,” said the mother of two. “I am sorry for people who saw that tour. I was just on automatic pilot so I was all over the place, because I really didn’t want to be working.
“That tour put me off for quite a number of years. I just feel I’m getting to the stage where I could tour again, but I just want to take it easy and ease into it.”
Jo was criticised recently for making a joke about throwing battery acid at politicians while recording a BBC Radio 4 show. Speaking after Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage and a number of other political candidates were covered in milkshakes during campaign walkabouts in May, she said: “Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?”
She then made clear she was joking and criticised the milkshake attacks, later apologising.