Aylesbury man on his friendship with Jon Richardson

The Yorkshire comic met Martin Hywood, 47, at a Leeds United game a few years ago, and the pair immediately hit it off.

Martin lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy, a progressive and life-limiting illness that causes his muscles to weaken and waste over time.

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But while Jon, 38, enjoys a life in the limelight, Martin has spent more than a year shielding amid the coronavirus pandemic because he is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.

During this period, he has tragically lost the ability to walk as his muscles have further wasted.

Martin Hywood and Jon Richardson

The pair’s friendship is one of lively banter, a love of football, and helping each other through the tough times in life.

Jon said: “Martin and I first met at the football, like proper lads.

“I remember the game specifically because, like many, we'd both travelled a fair distance to be there.

“Martin had travelled in hope of a comfortable win and I had brought my father for his 70th birthday celebrations for the same reason.

“We lost 1-0 to a team that went on to be relegated but things are better now and we can appreciate the good times for having been through the bad.

“That’s a good metaphor for Martin's approach to life.”

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The duo recently released an appeal on BBC Radio 4, asking the public to donate to Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK) in a bid to help the charity recoup vital funds to continue its crucial work.

There are around 70,000 people living with muscle-wasting conditions in the UK, with the charity hoping to support those impacted by more than 60 rare and very rare progressive muscle-weakening and wasting conditions.

And due to the pandemic, the charity are facing financial worries due to losing around £2.4m in fundraising.

Jon continued: “Martin is doing it with direct fundraising and inspirational writing and I'm doing it by being so negative and draining that the world will improve by default just for not having me in it any more."

Martin Hywood and Jon Richardson

“He is consistently rude about my comedy and asks me if I can help him reach more famous comics than me.

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“I tell Martin that I resent being asked to help and live in fear of whatever scheme he's going to come up with next.

“I hope we're both winding each other up or it's a damning description of our friendship.

“The Radio 4 appeal came about because Martin knows very well that because of the pandemic my diary has evaporated and I can no longer claim to be too busy to help.

Martin, who tragically lost the ability to walk during lockdown because of months spend shielding inside, added: “I will not stop shouting about this until I see a treatment or cure in my lifetime. I do feel that we're on the cusp of greatness and it would be magnificent to say Jon and I were there and that we contributed towards that result.”

For more information, visit www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vgdh.