Jo Brand to deliver South Shields Lecture in January.

Jo Brand

Stand-up Jo Brand will deliver the 2012 South Shields Lecture on Friday 20th January.

The lecture was established in 2001 by South Shields MP David Miliband, with the aim of attracting high profile speakers to the town to deliver a free lecture.

Brand joins former Prime Minister Tony Blair, actor Patrick Stewart and best-selling writer Bill Bryson, who have all headed the event previously, and Miliband was thrilled to announce her appearance at Harton Technology College.

Miliband said: “I am delighted that Jo Brand has accepted my invitation to be the 2012 speaker. I know Jo’s lecture will be serious and thought-provoking, but I have no doubt there will be a lot of humour as well.

“Jo is passionate about her charity work, and it will be interesting to hear more about this, and, of course, how she became an award-winning comedy actress.”

Brand supports several charities and recently took part in the C4 comedy gala for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. Before becoming a household name in comedy, she worked as a psychiatric nurse for more than a decade.