Romesh Ranganathan on his family, health and tattoos (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeRomesh Ranganathan has a few secrets up his sleeve that fans might not be aware of. From his tattoo obsession to his heart-wrenching health battles, the 46-year-old funnyman has navigated numerous highs and lows throughout his life – with his rarely seen wife steadfastly by his side. The father of three will be back on our screens tonight (Saturday 17 August) as he hosts the newly rebooted quiz show, The Weakest Link, where he puts celebrities general knowledge to the test. OK! takes a peek into the comedian’s private life offstage…
Romesh’ wife Leesa mostly avoids being in the spotlight
(Image: Can Nguyen/Capital Pictures)
Read More
Related Articles
Freddie Flintoff’s ‘struggle’ laid bare after devastating Top Gear smash
Read More
Related Articles
Get Calvin Klein’s £55 ‘fresh’ and ‘long lasting’ summer perfume for £18
Romesh’s now-wife was part of the drama department, while he taught maths – but their bond turned out to be pure chemistry. After saying ‘I do’ in 2009, the blissful pair went on to have three children – Theo, Alex, and Charlie. Their youngest was born at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, while Romesh was performing at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In a 2018 chat with the Mirror, Romesh shared his secret to a happy marriage which was “being absent for long periods of time” he joked that as a husband, he’s more “appealing” when he’s not at home.
Romesh and his mum
(Image: Instagram/ @romeshranga)
While Leesa prefers to keep a low profile, Romesh has given fans a glimpse into their married life – even sharing some intimate details about their bedroom antics. In a 2020 column for The Guardian, Romesh remembered a stand-up routine where he’d joked about their ‘sex life, or lack thereof. Romesh penned: “I have a vivid memory of seeing her face in the audience, looking completely calm, and then glancing across to our friends, who looked utterly horrified at the prospect of going out for dinner with a couple they now knew were definitely not having sex when they got home.” Luckily, Leesa takes such frank admissions as ‘just comedy’, though Romesh confesses that some of her mates think he’s ‘a b******’.
Romesh previously worked as a maths teacher before becoming a comedian
(Image: (Image: Instagram ))
All jokes aside, fans are touched to hear how Romesh credits his wife, Leesa, with the success of his comedy career. Reflecting on the past in a 2018 Marie Claire interview, Romesh opened up about a particularly challenging time when he resigned from his job as a maths teacher, and three days before he was due to leave, his dad passed away. He delved deeper into the hardships they faced and revealed that he wasn’t able to “focus” on work and even added that their car was “taken away”. But Romesh says Leesa always believed in him and says without her he “wouldn’t have been a comedian.”
Romesh ran the London Marathon for CALM after his own health troubles
(Image: Hazpics / SplashNews.com)
Heartbreaking health struggle April this year saw Romesh tackling the 2024 London Marathon for a cause close to his heart, supporting the charity CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably. Romesh, who has been affiliated with CALM since 2023, chose them for their work which resonates personally with him. Romesh candidly shared his personal connection to the charity’s mission during an interview with Gabby Logan on BBC Sport, stating: “I’ve talked about it a few times, I came close to taking my own life in the past and it’s something I feel strongly about in terms of mental health issues. And Calm is a really great charity for raising awareness and so it was both about raising the money and just raising the awareness of the work that they do, so that’s why I’m running.”
Romesh spoke about his periods of depression on a podcast
(Image: BBC/Rumpus Media Ltd)
Earlier in February 2023, the comedian bravely shared his struggles with dark thoughts during an emotional chat on The Diary Of A CEO Podcast. Speaking candidly, Romesh disclosed that he had more than once thought about taking his own life. He went on to confess how stand-up comedy dominates his life despite its challenges and admitted he’s “addicted” to stand-up.But that he has an “inner voice that is horrific.” It’s important to remember if you’re feeling overwhelmed and need someone to talk to, Samaritans offer a free helpline that is available around the clock on 116 123. You can also send an email to jo@samaritans.org or visit their website for details of your local branch.
Romesh has tattoos tributed to his family
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Ink tributes In a candid piece for The Guardian back in 2019, the comedian shared his tattoo obsession, revealing he’s inked his two eldest sons’ names onto his skin. He recounted how both he and his wife Leesa had planned to get tattoos after their first child was born, but “she bottled it”. Romesh confessed: “I got another done when my second son was born, but am yet to get a tattoo for our youngest. The clock is ticking, because he is now learning to read, and will be upset when he discovers that, not only have I got his brothers’ names, but also Richard Pryor, Nas, the Roots and the Transformers’ Autobot logo before getting around to him.” Watch The Weakest Link on Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Samaritans in the UK and Ireland on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnThe Weakest LinkComedyDramaRomesh Ranganathan
