Frankie Boyle, Susie McCabe and Fred MacAulay to perform at benefit for Fringe comic who suffered stroke

New Town Theatre benefit for Raymond Mearns

Frankie Boyle, Susie McCabe and Fred MacAulay are to perform at a benefit night for a leading Scottish stand-up forced to pull the plug on his Edinburgh Festival Fringe appearances after suffering a stroke

Comics Jay Lafferty and Stuart Mitchell are organising a fundraising gig for Raymond Mearns, a regular on BBC Scotland's Breaking the News show.

Mark Nelson, Jo Caufield, Chris Forbes and Gary Little are also confirmed for the show, which will be staged at the Stand Comedy Club’s New Town Theatre venue.

Mearns, who was due to appear at the Beehive Inn, in the Grassmarket, has been performing at the Fringe for more than 20 years.

He has starred in Rab C Nesbitt, Limmy's Show, River City and Rebus, and has also appeared in the Ken Loach films Ae Fond Kiss and It’s a Free World.

Mearns was admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke on the opening day of the Fringe. He has told how he was given medical advice to cancel his stand-up show and a comedy walking tour around the Old Town.

More than £10,000 has already been raised for Mearns through a crowdfunding page set up by another comic, Graham Mackie, to offer financial support for the self-employed stand-up.

Comedian Frankie Boyle is appearing at the benefit for Raymond Mearns.

Ray Bradshaw, Scott Agnew, Chris Brooker, Marjolein Robertson and Sam Gore have been among the comics to share the fundraising page and pay tribute to Mearns.

Other special guests are still to be announced for the New Town Theatre benefit for Mearns on 22 August, tickets for which are now on sale priced £20 each.

Mitchell said: “Raymond has consistently been one of the top live stand-up comedians in the country for many years. He also makes a fantastic coffee!

“He is the master at keeping his material fresh, relevant and most of all extremely funny.

Raymond Mearns.

"I am excited to see what he says about all this on stage when he makes a full recovery.

"We are asking people to purchase a ticket for a great night of comedy that supports a fantastic man.”

Lafferty said: “We’ve pulled together one of the very best line-ups of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which proves the love there is for Raymond.

“We want people to purchase a ticket so we can support him to take the time he needs to recover. Basically so that he sits on his arse. £20 is a real steal for this line-up.”

Raymond Mearns has cancelled all his Fringe shows after suffering a stroke.

Mearns, who is still recovering in hospital, apologised to his fans when he announced news of his stroke and the cancellation of his Fringe appearances on social media earlier this week.

His partner Annie McKeown said the comic was “doing well but will need plenty of rest and recuperation when he gets home.”

Posting on the Scottish Comedy Forum page on Facebook, she said: “I don't really know where to begin with this post.

“The support from the comedy community and beyond for Raymond and myself has been overwhelming.

"We appreciate every single message.

"This message is a thank you from me personally as so many have reached out to ask if I'm ok and to offer me support as well as Raymond.

"I'm sure when he's up to it, he'll thank you all himself but, in the meantime, please know he appreciates everything that's being said.”