Romesh Ranganathan, the sharp-tongued comedian and presenter from Crawley, is hitting the brakes on his hectic career—but he’s not hanging up his mic just yet.
The 47-year-old comedy star dropped the bombshell during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne. Romesh explained he plans to take a step back to enjoy life more, without calling it retirement.
Romesh Pulls Back but Isn’t Retiring
Known for hosting the BBC’s The Weakest Link and starring in the BAFTA-winning Rob and Romesh Vs alongside Rob Beckett, Romesh made it clear: “This is not a retirement announcement.”
“There’s no strategy. There’s no game plan. I do feel like I’m settling into… not winding things up, but taking a step back. I want to be at home a bit more,” he told Laverne.
Romesh added he’s aiming to be “more measured” with his workload and might take a “bigger break between bits” because “it’s not going to be if I don’t go off and just live life.”
From Stressed Teacher to Comedy Star
Before comedy fame, Romesh was a secondary school maths teacher—a job he found far more stressful than any stage gig.
“There wasn’t a single day of that job that I didn’t feel completely fulfilled, but it’s the most stressed I’ve ever been in my life,” he said.
Despite the pressure, Romesh praised teaching as a profession and admits he “loved that job.”
BBC Favourite with Fans
Romesh has become a staple across BBC platforms. He recently stepped into Claudia Winkleman’s shoes on the Saturday morning Radio 2 slot and continues to host For The Love of Hip Hop alongside radio and TV appearances.
While the future is a bit uncertain, fans can expect Romesh to focus on family and slow down his often whirlwind career.
