Comedian Jo Brand has reflected on the realities of growing older, touring, and navigating grief as she approaches her 70th birthday next year.
Speaking about her new book, Decline and Falling Over, Brand discussed the introspection that came with writing the work, noting that she was simply asked if she wanted to do it rather than being consumed by the subject of ageing.
In her book, Brand refers to the period past middle age as your shitter second half
The Guardian.
The comedian touched on serious topics such as the prospect of care homes and assisted dying, mentioning that her mother had procured drugs to end her own life when she was ill, though she did not use them. Brand stated that she believes assisted dying will become legal sooner rather than later
The Guardian.
Brand retains a fear of residential facilities stemming from her time working as a teenager in a home for adults with learning disabilities, where she witnessed appalling behavior by male staff that resulted in her being sacked after complaining. Reflecting on whether modern facilities have changed, she remarked, Who knows?
Addressing her reputation, Brand described herself as a lifelong people pleaser
The Guardian, a trait she traces back to trying to please her hard-to-please father. She explained that her aggressive and bolshie on-stage persona acted as a shield against hecklers during the early days of her career when few women were working in comedy, allowing her to deter drunk men from messing with her.
Over the years, she has learned to play the organ at the Royal Albert Hall for television, performed as Britney Spears, and walked 140 miles from Hull to Liverpool for Comic Relief in 2016. Reflecting on getting older, she noted that she is less adventurous than she used to be.
For teenage girls who watched her Friday night Channel 4 show, seeing a woman who looked and spoke differently—being hilariously rude and unapologetic—offered a distinct thrill. Brand also presented The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice starting in 2014.
