Caught Live: Russell Brand For Teenage Cancer Trust

Uh-oh, Russell Brand has been up to his old prank call tricks again. Luckily for him, it went down a little better than the last time. In fact, despite talking smut (think pornography, masturbation, etc, etc) down the phone to an unsuspecting member of the public, whose step-son was in the audience at the comedian’s latest show, it was all in the name of charity. Phew.

The controversial funnyman (Jimmy Savile jokes anyone?) was hosting a night of comedy along with The Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding at London’s Royal Albert Hall last night, as part of the second night of live entertainment in a week-long programme of shows curated by rocker Noel Gallagher and sponsored by The Body Shop in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

As well as the prank call (‘I’ve gone too far again’, quipped Brand), the duo pulled audience members out of the crowd (including one blonde girl who the confident comedian ‘flirted’ outrageously with), ribbed former Oasis guitarist Noel, who was watching from one of the venue’s plush boxes, before a finale where they transformed a student into a goth by cutting his pudding bowl hair off, although the packed crowd jeered for Russell to chop his own long locks off in the name of charity. Sadly, he didn’t entertain the idea.

The special guest segments included stand-up routines from the hilarious Seann Walsh and surreal Tony Law, but it was the Brand and Fielding double act who dominated proceedings, prompting laugh after laugh despite ad-libbing their way through a largely unscripted performance.

This week’s Teenage Cancer Trust concerts, which also sees the likes of Noel Gallagher, Blur’s Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, Paul Weller and Primal Scream putting on shows, are the biggest and best yet since they began back in 2000 to help raise money for the charity.

The TCT, which counts The Who's Roger Daltrey as a patron, was founded in 1990 to help the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer by providing specialist units for them in NHS hospitals, as well as provide a family support network, and aid with special projects and research.

If you want to help this worthy cause you can donate online through the TCT website or text TEEN to 70300 to donate £3 (all of your donation will go to the charity and you will be charged £3 plus your standard network message rate). The Body Shop is also matching all donations to the charity made in their stores and at the Royal Albert Hall up to £30,000. Go on, dig deep.

Pictures: PA Photos