The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Why did Katherine Ryan fly home from Spain on her own? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by comedian, presenter and author Katherine Ryan, ahead of her new book Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter (out 22nd October). They get into eldest daughter syndrome, juggling four kids and a career, and why Katherine thinks women should misbehave a little more. Plus, there’s a Romesh gift with a very questionable backstory, a game of Misquoted involving maple syrup and a Bolognese, and some strong opinions on how to clean a toilet properly. Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code 'romesh' at checkout. Download the Saily app or visit Sally's website here. A Ranga Bee Production. Chapters: 00:00 Intro02:29 Katherine's Spanish escape07:47 Celine Dion in Paris13:26 A gift for Katherine17:18 Kids' birthday parties and drunk mums23:17 Parenting with a nanny rota28:04 The double standards women face29:07 Katherine's secret life in the TikTok comments36:26 Hollywood and Nikki Glaser39:39 Hiding a pregnancy on a sitcom41:38 Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter42:34 What is eldest daughter syndrome?47:41 A question from Shanthi48:22 Katherine's 17-year-old daughter, Violet51:36 Cosmetic procedures and confidence58:49 Misquoted1:09:09 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do Loki, Everest and Arsenal tea bags have in common? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by actor Tom Hiddleston to talk about his new film Tenzing the true story behind the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, and what it was like filming it for real, with no green screen. They also get into 16 years as Loki, what Marvel gets right (and why it deserves more credit), and exactly how much Tom knows about what comes next. A Ranga Bee Production. Tenzing is available on Apple TV from 16th October.  Chapters 00:00 Intro02:50 A gift for Tom05:02 How will Arsenal do this season?06:16 Tom’s Soccer Aid experience10:41 Are actors competitive?13:30 Tom’s new film, Tenzing14:28 Why Tenzing’s story needed telling23:33 Filming Everest for real25:08 Playing Loki31:21 Why Marvel connects with everyone38:05 Doomsday theories42:07 A question from Shanthi45:42 That Chatty Man dance46:56 Dancing in Much Ado About Nothing55:40 The best advice Tom’s ever been given57:42 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What makes Stacey Dooley such a good documentary maker? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by broadcaster and documentary maker Stacey Dooley to reflect on her journey through documentary-making, how she approaches telling them and the stories and experiences that have stayed with her. They also get into some very important Selling Sunset and Below Deck gossip, before Stacey explains exactly why she hates Southampton.Plus, there's some questionable role play, a game of Misquoted and a brief detour into boxing, Little Mix and Jamie Oliver. A Ranga Bee Production. Chapters 00:00 Intro05:56 A gift for Stacey08:21 Why Stacey loves boxing12:39 Stacey hobbies14:36 Questionable role play17:06 What makes Stacey a good documentary maker25:37 Selling Sunset and Below Deck gossip28:16 Louis Theroux and the manosphere29:55 Stacey's new documentaries38:38 Are there really goodies and baddies?44:35 A question from Shanthi45:43 Why Stacey hates Southampton50:47 Lessons from inspiring women55:16 Who Stacey would love to interview1:07:27 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did Eddie Murphy say to Lenny Henry? In this Monday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by the legendary comedian, actor, and writer, Sir Lenny Henry. The pair look back at Lenny’s incredible career, from his early stand-up and TV shows, to his latest projects. They discuss racism, realities of working in the entertainment industry, and the pressure that comes with a long career. Lenny talks about his return to stand-up with his new tour, Lenny Henry: Still at Large, and his new BBC show,The Split Up (available on BBC iPlayer now). Plus, they deep dive into the world of being a stand-up comedian, inspirations, and how it's changed over the years. Elsewhere, Romesh and Lenny get into self-care, manscaping, and some questionable fashion choices, and Lenny opens up about death, grief, and some of the lessons he’s learned throughout his life. Plus, Shanthi has a bone to pick with Romesh... A fascinating conversation about comedy, careers, ageing, loss, and what it takes to keep going. Buy tickets to Lenny's tour 'Still at Large' with dates until November 4, 2026. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. If therapy is something you've been thinking about, visit Counselling Directory and find a therapist that's right for you: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=romesh_sponsorship Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:46 When Lenny and Romesh met 05:20 A gift for Lenny 08:34 Lenny’s career 13:53 On True Identity 17:30 On chef and career mentality 18:54 The challenges of the industry 20:44 Lenny reads Romesh 22:45 Self-care and manscaping 25:20 Fashion faux pas 29:29 The upcoming tour and being on stage 40:06 A question from Shanthi on impressions 43:54 The Split Up 29:38 Misquoted 57:11 On death and grief 58:45 Some advice from Lenny 59:59 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Stephen Graham become one of Britain's best actors? In this Monday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by legendary actor, producer, and writer, Stephen Graham, to talk about his incredible, award-winning career, spanning over two decades. Stephen reflects on his career, from This Is England and Boiling Point, to his latest work on Adolescence and Nocturne. He discusses method acting, the challenges of filming in one-shot, and what it takes to disappear into a character. They also get into a discussion on their shared love of music and hip-hop, breakdancing, street fashion, and the culture around it. Plus, he talks about his new book, Letters To Our Sons, which he was prompted to write after Adolescence. He reflects on being a dad and the importance of communication. Plus, Romesh and Stephen discuss Liverpool FC, fragrances, and the unexpected ways their lives have crossed paths. It's an episode you don't want to miss. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. If therapy is something you've been thinking about, visit Counselling Directory and find a therapist that's right for you: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=romesh_sponsorship Go to https://surfshark.com/romesh or use code ROMESH at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:27 A gift for Stephen 08:39 Music & hip-hop 11:48 Rom’s Ice Cube interview 14:22 On breakdancing & culture 17:15 The street fashion 18:52 Adolescence 26:11 Boiling Point & the one-shot take 31:40 Method acting & This Is England 90 36:50 Stephen’s new book 38:28 On being a dad 46:26 A question from Shanthi 48:03 Being working class & changing the story 53:31 Nocturne 55:28 Imposter Syndrome, fame and being yourself 58:57 Misquoted 01:08:40 Liverpool FC 01:11:08 What fragrance is Romesh wearing? 01:13:10 An exclusive 01:14:38 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What really happened with Jamie Oliver's school dinners? In this Monday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by one of the UK’s best-known chefs, Jamie Oliver. Jamie talks about life after 50, his career in the kitchen and what keeps him motivated after decades in the food industry. He also reveals what it’s really like to work in a high-pressure kitchen, whether restaurant food has ruined the experience of eating out and the truth behind kitchen hazing. Elsewhere, Jamie critiques Shanthi's best dishes, we get into the neuroscience of food, England's eating habits and what we can learn from the Blue Zones. And, of course, Jamie opens up how his pioneering social enterprise Fifteen led him to campaign for healthier school dinners featuring the infamous Turkey Twizzler drama that rocked the nation. We also get a sneak peak into his new book, 20 Minute Meals: Real Fast Food, which is out now. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. If therapy is something you've been thinking about, visit Counselling Directory and find a therapist that's right for you: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=romesh_sponsorship Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:40 Vegan lasagna 06:07 Being in your 50s 08:38 Working in the food industry 11:37 A gift from Shanthi 12:27 Jamie talks through Shanthi’s curries 14:25 How do you cook a squirrel? 15:39 Another gift for Jamie 16:40 Dogs and their diets 18:50 Does being a chef ruin the restaurant experience? 22:00 The neuroscience of food 22:59 Ratatoullie & The Bear 24:45 Is the kitchen that high pressure? 26:14 Is kitchen hazing true? 30:38 What keeps Jamie in the game? 31:57 Where did campaign Jamie come from? 36:26 The Turkey Twizzler debacle 37:37 School Dinners 47:23 The nations eating habits 49:08 What are they doing in the blue zones? 50:50 20 Minute Meals 56:15 Why cook over buy? 59:35 A question from Shanthi on the sesh 01:04:22 Getting a pilots license 01:10:30 On being a bit more selfish 01:14:32 Misquoted 01:19:20 An exclusive 01:21:57 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could Romesh make a convincing gangster? In this week's episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by legendary, British actor, Ray Winstone, to discuss his role as Bobby Glass in the second season of Guy Ritchie's hit Netflix series, The Gentlemen. But what does he make of the rumours Meghan Markle is joining the cast? Ray, famous for his career playing tough guys and hardened criminals in films such as, Sexy Beast and Nil By Mouth, talks to Romesh about his acting career over the last 50 years. Plus, there's a masterclass lesson in how to play a proper gangster. Hint - he doesn't hold back criticism. Elsewhere, Ray discusses his love of Sicily, West Ham and John Malkovich. There's a playful game of Misquoted, a question from Shanthi, where the conversation turns to Strictly, and the importance of family. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:03 A gift for Ray 05:55 Ray doesn’t want to talk about acting 09:04 Ray’s career beginnings 11:37 Building a character 13:15 Favourite roles 15:30 Ray’s swagger and coaching Romesh 20:19 The Gentlemen 36:35 Meghan Markle rumours 37:30 Embarassing mum moments 39:14 Shanthi’s question 40:17 The changes in the industry and being a dad 43:13 Is Ray a homebody? 45:40 Turning down The Wire 47:56 On Danny Dyer 49:31 On West Ham 50:15 Ray’s Esquire culture chat 52:51 Misquoted 01:02:55 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by comedian and podcaster Rick Glassman to talk about stand-up, podcasting and the art of saying exactly what you're thinking. Rick discusses the success of Take Your Shoes Off, and reveals that Ricky Gervais would be one of his dream guests, which leads to the pair composing a carefully crafted text message invite. Will he respond? Plus, Rick addresses the catastrophic Paul Rudd incident on his podcast. Elsewhere, Rick opens up about his autism diagnosis, dealing with criticism, and the pros and cons of working with his parents. Plus, they discuss Rick's basketball prowess, play Misquoted, and Rick makes a very poorly timed call to his Mum. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Rick ghosted Ben 04:01 Rick’s thoughts on Edinburgh 05:48 Gift-giving 08:41 On stand-up 13:51 Take Your Shoes Off & podcasting 15:27 Rick’s autism diagnosis 19:00 The podcast got big 20:42 Paul Rudd’s podcast accident 26:22 Rick wants Ricky Gervais on the pod 27:20 A sales lesson from Rick 28:22 Rom & Rick text Ricky Gervais 31:19 A question from Shanthi 32:55 Rick calls his Mum 36:00 Working with your parents 44:46 Shanthi’s story 44:00 Parents being famous 47:14 Misquoted 48:24 Basketball & I Am Phenomenal 51:14 Criticism and ego 53:19 Misquoted continued 54:29 Rick’s take on modern dating 56:30 An exclusive 59:21 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why Is Everyone Talking About Oh, Mary!? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by theatre and TV actor, Michael Urie, to talk about the award-winning Apple TV series Shrinking and West End hit Oh, Mary! Michael talks all about his character Brian, working alongside Harrison Ford and Brett Goldstein, and what makes the show's writing so special. He also discusses bringing the hit Broadway comedy Oh, Mary! to London, the magic of performing live, and why theatre creates such a unique relationship between an actor and an audience. Plus, the differences between working in London to his life and career across New York and Los Angeles. Elsewhere, Michael talks about founding Pride Plays, his time on Ugly Betty and the best career advice he's ever received: "Follow the green lights". A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:08 London vs New York and LA 08:27 A gift for Michael 15:06 On Shrinking 24:08 How important are awards? 28:17 Acting and Harrison Ford 33:20 The Les Mis scene 39:15 A question from Shanthi 42:45 On Oh, Mary! 48:05 Michael’s love of theatre 54:35 Founding Pride Plays 58:22 Misquoted 01:01:52 Ugly Betty 01:05:22 Misquoted continued 01:07:05 The best advice 01:10:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Philomena Cunk come about? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by Diane Morgan to talk about her new hit BBC iPlayer sitcom, Ann Droid and her journey into comedy, from working with Charlie Brooker, developing the iconic Philomena Cunk, to working on Ricky Gervais' new series, Alley Cats. Diane reveals how working in a factory pushed her towards her goals and discusses her early comedy influences. The pair talk early career moves, the experience of attending drama school, all the way to working together on Last One Laughing. Plus, there's some mild hate for Hollywood and they get into the difficulties of going plant-based. To top it off, there's an exclusive, a story of how to handle failure (comically) and a question, of course, from Shanthi. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:03 Last One Laughing 10:29 Dental nursing 13:31 A gift for Diane gone wrong 17:00 On being plant-based 20:08 Comedy influences 23:34 Career beginnings 27:08 Drama school 32:06 On Cunk and success 34:55 On Hollywood 35:33 LA’s vegan scene 38:31 Vegan hacks 41:01 A question from Shanthi on TikTok Shop 44:46 Dog owner stories 48:26 On Ann Droid 56:54 Robot contact lenses 59:53 Alley Cats 01:01:11 Misquoted 01:08:06 An exclusive 01:10:50 A rumour about Diane and Joe Wilkinson 01:12:27 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did Matt Damon say to Himesh after they finished filming The Odyssey? In this week's episode, Romesh is joined by Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award-nominated actor, Himesh Patel. You may know him as Tamwar Masood from EastEnders, but Himesh has since appeared in Danny Boyle’s Yesterday and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, and now he’s in one of this year’s biggest films - The Odyssey. Himesh shares what it’s like working on a Christopher Nolan movie and what the challenges are of shooting in IMAX. Plus, we talk BAFTA parties with Idris Elba, hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio, and acting with Ed Sheeran. There’s also a question from Shanthi and we find out how Himesh does in a game of Misquoted. It’s a jelly of a podcast…don’t forget to like and subscribe! A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:41 The Odyssey 05:59 A gift for Himesh 10:38 On being a movie star 13:04 Matt Damon 14:23 On filming for IMAX 19:05 CGI in films 25:05 On working with Christopher Nolan 27:33 On EastEnders 33:58 Ethnic representation on TV 36:07 Life since EastEnders 37:46 Damned with Jo Brand 39:46 Two Dosas 41:52 Yesterday with Danny Boyle and Ed Sheeran 44:54 Family 48:36 A question from Shanthi 50:50 High In The Clouds with Paul McCartney and Idris Elba 52:22 On Shanthi and Romesh 53:40 X-Files 56:29 Misquoted 01:06:28 An exclusive from Himesh 01:09:53 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Did Max Fosh Become The World's Richest Man? In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by YouTuber, comedian and viral mastermind, Max Fosh, to discuss the outrageous stunts and videos that have made him one of the internet's biggest creators. From sneaking into London Fashion Week, to legally becoming the world's richest man (very briefly), Max reveals the creative process behind his biggest videos, and how he keeps coming up with ideas that millions of people can't help but click on. The pair discuss the realities of life as a creator, YouTube vs TV, and Max tells us about his comedy tour. Plus, Max let's us in on some of his upcoming projects, including hiring a private investigator to secretly follow him. From loopholes and viral videos to comedy and content creation, it's one not to miss. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:25 Addressing your point of difference 04:54 Max’s future & Romesh’s decline 06:36 A gift for Max 09:48 How Max began 14:34 Going viral 21:53 Max chooses the title 23:40 Staying fresh and a PI 28:11 Max’s future plans 29:20 Max has a bone to pick with Rom 31:47 Max’s lawyer 35:37 The content industry 38:40 A question from Shanthi 42:30 Success and obsession 48:00 Would Max do Strictly? 49:47 Would You Rather: Decide to Survive? 56:50 Misquoted 01:06:21 Comedy career 01:09:18 An exclusive 01:09:18 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is it really like presenting Match of the Day? In this episode, Romesh is joined by sports broadcaster Kelly Cates to talk about her remarkable career in football journalism, from becoming one of the original faces of Sky Sports News to stepping into the Match of the Day studio. Kelly opens up about growing up surrounded by football, how sports broadcasting has changed over the last three decades and why she deliberately avoids reading comments (good and bad) about her work. They discuss the modern pressures that face footballers today and what it's really like presenting one of the UK's most iconic sports programmes. Plus, there's a maths geek-out, a question from Shanthi, Misquoted and even a message from Jamie Redknapp. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:31 A gift for Kelly 02:57 On Ready Steady Cook 05:35 Growing up in football 09:24 A question from Shanthi 10:25 Sport injuries 12:05 On Jamie Redknapp 14:08 A question from Jamie 16:00 Maths geek out 19:30 Sky Sports News 22:22 Broadcast journalism 26:50 Expectations of footballers 27:40 Media & journalism changing 31:13 “Unicorn” footballers 32:43 Match of the Day 37:57 Career progression 41:04 A sidenote on trains 41:48 The World Cup 45:22 Misquoted 55:53 An exclusive 56:18 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices