Comedian Russell Howard shares baby son died shortly after his wife Cerys gave birth

Russell Howard has shared with fans that his baby son Felix sadly died shortly after birth, in a heartbreaking statement thanking NHS staff for supporting his family.

The comedian, 46, shared the devastating news on Instagram, explaining how he and his wife, NHS doctor Cerys Morgan, were able to spend 'precious hours' with their son after his death.

Russell said the family had been supported by hospital staff during what he described as 'the most devastating time of our lives'.

He said: "Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth.

"During the most devastating time of our lives, the hospital staff who cared for us showed extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity.

"They helped us navigate an unimaginable heartache and gave us support when we needed it most.

"We were assigned a bereavement midwife, 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. During our time in hospital, Felix was placed in a cool cot, which meant that my wife and I were able to spend precious hours with our beautiful boy.

"We could hold him, talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him.

"Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix."

Russell and Cerys had not publicly announced that they were expecting their second child.

The comedian went on to reveal that the couple had decided to help other families facing similar heartbreak.

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.

"And so, in Felix’s memory, we are establishing The Felix Foundation. The foundation will aim to relieve the needs of parents, siblings and other close family members affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death or related bereavement."

The foundation will support families affected by pregnancy and baby loss, including miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and neonatal death.

To help launch the foundation and raise vital funds for this work, Russell announced that he will be hosting a charity gala at The O2 in London on 8 February 2027.

"Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of friends and colleagues, we have managed to put together an incredible line-up of comedians, including: Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Aisling Bea, Guz Khan, Greg Davies, Mo Gilligan, Michelle Wolf and John Bishop," he continued.

"Every single one of these incredible performers is giving their time completely free of charge. I will never forget their generosity.

We would absolutely love it if you could join us for what promises to be a very special evening: a night of comedy, laughter and celebration, all in aid of a cause that means everything to our family."

Russell rounded off the statement explaining that the Felix Foundation is named after his 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 moments of their lives," he wrote.

"We would love it if you came along and helped us make Felix's legacy something truly special."

If you need support and advice following a pregnancy loss, you can contact the Tommy’s team at [email protected]. You can also call them for free on 0800 014 7800, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.