Melbourne’s comedy community hosting Gala for Gilbo for beloved comedian Russell Gilbert

BELOVED comedian Russell Gilbert is piecing his life back together “like a jigsaw puzzle” after suffering a devastating series of personal and medical blows.

Gilbert does regular therapy to improve his speech, memory, and cognitive movements. Picture: Paul Loughnan

BELOVED comedian Russell Gilbert is piecing his life back together “like a jigsaw puzzle” after suffering a devastating series of personal and medical blows.

“I’ve been missing for five months,” Gilbert told the Herald Sun. “I’ve been down, but I’m slowly getting things back. Slowly.”

Gilbert, 56, star of television favourites like Hey Hey It’s Saturday and The Comedy Company, is recovering from a horrific run: the tragic death of Rochelle Nolan, his partner for 19 years, last September; a brain aneurysm diagnosed two weeks after Nolan’s passing; and suffering a massive stroke during surgery to treat the aneurysm.

“For the first few months, I couldn’t remember much,” Gilbert said. “It was like piecing a jigsaw puzzle together.

“I get very frustrated, confused and emotional most days, and I struggle accepting the loss of my beautiful partner, Rochelle. My family and friends have helped me immensely,” he said.

“Therapy has been fantastic, and I’m getting better and better.”

But those closest to Gilbert attest his road to recovery will be long. He lives alone, in a tidy ground floor apartment, with his Persian cats, Derek and Clive.

A devoted Bulldogs supporter, he hasn’t missed a match this year.

Gilbert with his loving sister Ellie Gilbert. Picture: Paul Loughnan

“I like to sneak in with a mate,” he says, grinning brightly. “They’re doing very well.”

His devoted sisters Ellie, Raylene and Lynette rotate visits to his home, looking after his finances, health, wellbeing, washing and cleaning.

Gilbert’s good friend, broadcaster and comedian, Mick Molloy, is also on the care-giving roster, tending to the man he regards as a “big brother.”

Ellie, who regularly travels from her home near Kyneton to care for Russell, says: “From day dot, he’s come leaps and bounds. The stroke has affected his speech quite badly. It is a jigsaw puzzle. He has to rewire his brain to go from ‘A’ to ‘Z’ again. At the moment, it’s going from ‘A’ to ‘J,’ and back to ‘B.’

“He’s got a long way to go,” Ellie says.

“But he does ask: ‘Why did this all happen to me?’”

Russell Gilbert with his late partner Rochelle Nolan.

Gilbert does four therapies a week to help improve his speech, memory, and a few cognitive movements. Sadly, he has only recently learned to accept Nolan’s passing.

“That’s the big hurdle now,” Ellie says.

“We are doing another round of therapy — for grief.”

However, all this rehabilitation isn’t cheap. To that end, Molloy has rallied the comedy troops to stage a fundraiser, Gala For Gilbo, at Palais Theatre on July 17.

The line up includes Gilbert’s nearest and dearest: Dave Hughes, Wil Anderson, Judith Lucy, Glenn Robbins, Denise Scott, Shaun Micallef, Richard Stubbs, Brian Nankervis, Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann, Bob Franklin, Lawrence Mooney, Trevor Marmalade, and Colin Lane.

Molloy, who is hosting the event, said: “Gilbo has always been there for many of us when we needed him and now it’s our turn to help out a mate.”

Gilbert is genuinely humbled by all the love, support and well wishes, and, with a cheeky glint in his eye, believes he might make a comeback on the night.

“I’m stoked that this is happening. Comedians rally together and support each other,” Gilbert says.

“It’s an amazing thing to happen and, you know, I want to get back on stage. With all these performers coming to help me, I’m gonna try to squeeze in a little show, too.”

Does he have any new material?

“Oh, I’ve got jokes,” Gilbert says — then, without missing a beat: “I just have to remember them.”

Gala For Gilbo tickets go on sale on Monday through Ticketmaster on Monday.

“Gilbo has always been there for many of us,” Mick Molloy says.

The Gala For Gilbo will be held at Palais Theatre on July 17.

www.frontiertouring.com/gilbo

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