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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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'.
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan says he is ‘taking a step back' but not retiring
The 47-year-old from Crawley, known for his Bafta-winning TV series with comic Rob Beckett – titled Rob And Romesh Vs, emphasised that he will not be retiring. 'I know that people sort of say I'm busy and I'm always like, trying to work and stuff. There is no strategy. There's no game plan. I have no end game,' he told Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. 'There's no vision board or anything like that. (I'm) just doing whatever feels good.' He added: 'I do feel like I'm sort of settling into winding things up, like not winding things up, but I'm taking a step back. 'I want to be at home a bit more. And by the way, this is not an announcement of retirement, but I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we're talking about this at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward. 'I think I might take a bigger break between bits. I've told you, I've not hit the thing yet, maybe this next thing could be it, but it's not going to be it if I don't go off and just live life.' Ranganathan also reflected on the time he spent as a maths teacher, before his current career, and said it was more stressful than working in comedy. 'There wasn't a single day of that job that I didn't feel completely fulfilled,' he said. 'I felt very stressed. It's the most stressed I've ever been in my life actually. 'There's not been a single day of my comedy career that's even come close to the stress that I felt as a teacher. I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job.' Alongside his stand-up, the comedian is known for presenting game show The Weakest Link and starring in BBC One sitcom Avoidance. He also starred in BBC Two documentary series The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan and BBC Three's Asian Provocateur, which saw him trace his family roots. In 2024, he took over Claudia Winkleman's Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 2 and he also presents Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip Hop on the station.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Romesh Ranganathan to step back from comedy and presenting roles
As well as his successful comedy career, Ranganathan, 47, is also well-known for various presenting roles both on TV and radio. He is host of BBC game show The Weakest Link and also starred in Bafta Award-winning TV series Rob And Romesh Vs, alongside fellow comedian Rob Beckett. Ranganathan has also featured in several BBC documentary series - The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan (BBC Two) and Asian Provocateur (BBC Three). In 2024, he took over Claudia Winkleman's Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 2 and he also presents Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip Hop on the same station. BBC's highest-paid stars (2023/24) Romesh Ranganathan to take a "step back" from career However, Ranganathan, who hails from Crawley, has now revealed he will be "taking a step back" from his career, but emphasised he was not retiring. Speaking to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Ranganathan said: "I know that people sort of say I'm busy and I'm always like, trying to work and stuff. "There is no strategy. There's no game plan. I have no end game.
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan says he is ‘taking a step back' but not retiring
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has said he is 'taking a step back' from his career 'to be at home a bit more'. The 47-year-old from Crawley, known for his Bafta-winning TV series with comic Rob Beckett – titled Rob And Romesh Vs, emphasised that he will not be retiring. 'I know that people sort of say I'm busy and I'm always like, trying to work and stuff. There is no strategy. There's no game plan. I have no end game,' he told Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. 'There's no vision board or anything like that. (I'm) just doing whatever feels good.' He added: 'I do feel like I'm sort of settling into winding things up, like not winding things up, but I'm taking a step back. 'I want to be at home a bit more. And by the way, this is not an announcement of retirement, but I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we're talking about this at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward. 'I think I might take a bigger break between bits. I've told you, I've not hit the thing yet, maybe this next thing could be it, but it's not going to be it if I don't go off and just live life.' Ranganathan also reflected on the time he spent as a maths teacher, before his current career, and said it was more stressful than working in comedy. 'There wasn't a single day of that job that I didn't feel completely fulfilled,' he said. 'I felt very stressed. It's the most stressed I've ever been in my life actually. 'There's not been a single day of my comedy career that's even come close to the stress that I felt as a teacher. I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job.' Alongside his stand-up, the comedian is known for presenting game show The Weakest Link and starring in BBC One sitcom Avoidance. He also starred in BBC Two documentary series The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan and BBC Three's Asian Provocateur, which saw him trace his family roots. In 2024, he took over Claudia Winkleman's Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 2 and he also presents Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip Hop on the station.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Romesh Ranganathan reveals plans to step back from career in shock move - but insists he is not retiring
Romesh Ranganathan has revealed he's hitting pause on his hectic showbiz schedule - but insists he's not quitting for good. The funnyman, 47, best known for his hit BAFTA-winning series Rob & Romesh Vs, says he's taking a breather to spend more time at home. Speaking on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4, Romesh told host Lauren Laverne: 'There's no game plan. I'm just doing whatever feels good - I'm taking a step back.' But fans don't need to panic, as the Crawley-born comic made it clear he's not packing it in for good. Romesh also opened up about life before comedy, reflecting on his old job as a maths teacher and how tough it really was. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'There's not been a single day of my comedy career that's even come close to the stress I felt as a teacher,' he said. 'I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job.' Romesh met his wife Leesa in 2009 when they were both working at a secondary school in Crawley. The pair tied the knot and went on to welcome three children, Theo, Alex, and Charlie – with the comedian having tattoo of his sons' names. Romesh shot to fame with his deadpan style and has become a household name thanks to stand-up, panel shows, and hit series with pal Rob Beckett. Alongside his hugely successful comedy career and Radio 2 programme, he also co-owns Coughlans Bakery in Oxted, Surrey. And just last month, he delighted fans with his hands-on approach to running the business as he served customers coffees and pastries from behind the counter on Wednesday. The down-to-earth star didn't shy away from pausing his duties to pose for selfies and chat to fans, as well as record video messages for those who missed out. In May delighted fans with his hands-on approach to running the business as he served customers coffees and pastries from behind the counter He was fully kitted out in the bakery's branded cap and hoodie, with videos and photographs from his shift showing him collecting orders and processing payments. His fans were quick to take to social media to heap praise on the comedian for taking the time to speak to all his fans during his surprise shift behind the counter. It is not the first time he has done a stint working in the bakery chain, as he has also thrilled fans with shifts in its branches in Dorking and his hometown Crawley. In February, he told the BBC of his visits: 'It was nice to meet people. I just wanted to get involved. The crowds are better than my tour show.' Romesh, who is a vegan, had initially partnered with the bakery to create a vegan treat, called the Ranga Yum Yum, before going on to become a co-owner. The delicious snack was made a permanent fixture on the menu and Romesh was partly responsible for owner Sean Coughlan setting up a branch in his hometown. Sean previously said of Romesh's involvement: 'Romesh is working behind the counter because he wants to know more about the business. He loves it.' 'He is so down to earth, humble and genuinely one of the nicest guys I ever met,' he added.
