Romesh Ranganathan reveals plans to 'take a step back' from his career
Romesh Ranganathan has revealed he is taking a step back from his busy TV schedule - but he promises fans he's not quitting for good.
The comedian, 47, is known for fronting The Weakest Link as well as Sky's wildly popular Rob & Romesh Vs alongside Rob Beckett.
Appearing on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4, Ranganathan told host Lauren Laverne he was taking a breather to spend more time with his family - while vowing not to quit television for good.
He said: "There's no game plan. I'm just doing whatever feels good - I'm taking a step back."
Ranganathan also talked about his past career as a maths teacher before he found fame, and paid tribute to those still working in classrooms.
He said: "There's not been a single day of my comedy career that's even come close to the stress I felt as a teacher.
"I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job."
Born and bred in Crawley, Ranganathan studied maths at Birbeck University and went on to teach the subject in his hometown. He was working at a secondary school in the borough when he met his wife Leesa in 2009, who was also a teacher.
The couple went on to marry and have three sons, Theo, Alex and Charlie.
Ranganathan is a big fan of hip-hop and previously performed freestyle rap under the name 'Ranga', as well as hosting a podcast Hip-Hop Changed My Life.
But it was his dry comedy style and deadpan delivery that saw him make the leap from clubs to television, with appearances on Have I Got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Would I Lie To You.
Ranganathan also hosts a regular show on BBC Radio 2.
Outside of showbiz, Ranganathan co-owns Coughlans Bakery in Oxted, Surrey. Last week, he delighted customers by serving coffees and pastries behind the counter on Wednesday.
He was dressed for work in the bakery's branded hat and hoodie, and was filmed handling orders and taking payments.
The funnyman was also on hand to pose for selfies and talk to fans, as well as recording video messages for them to share with friends.
Ranganathan enjoys his random shifts at the bakery. In a BBC interview in February, he said: "It was nice to meet people. I just wanted to get involved. The crowds are better than my tour show."
In April, Ranganathan criticised his local council over a school placement 'shambles' after claiming his youngest son was not offered any of his preferences for secondary school.
He posted a video on Instagram taking aim at West Sussex County Council for placing his youngest son in a school 'on the other side of town', rather than the one that his elder son attends.
Ranganathan also added that he had emailed the council six times with no response, and after a local MP got involved was told that an investigation by the council found the placement to be 'satisfactory'.
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