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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

Can Shanthi do a better celebrity impression than Romesh? In this Thursday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi are back with listener questions, family stories and a celebrity impressions challenge that quickly gets out of hand. From Shanthi’s early morning routines to what it's like being a grandma, the pair discuss family relationships throughout including a family trip to Devil's Dyke that Romesh missed out on. Elsewhere, the team suggest a Celebrity Impressions Challenge where Romesh is put through his paces as he attempts impressions of David Attenborough, Simon Cowell, and Gordon Ramsay and Shanthi is challenged to Nigella Lawson (you don't want to miss it). And, as usual, we take on your questions, discussing what happens when children start pulling away as they get older, and how to approach telling a traditional family about a relationship that crosses caste boundaries, with some of the best advice in the business. Plus, Shanthi shares a deeply personal story about her parents and the choices they made for love. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:58 Morning routines & garden chat 05:02 Shanthi’s advice to Rom 07:30 Shanthi as a grandma 08:50 TikTok Shop & Bank mishaps 14:15 When Lenny Henry had Shanthi’s back 15:20 Celebrity Impressions Challenge 25:52 Shanthi holds Romesh to his word 28:14 Shanthi's favourite podcast moment 29:46 Shanthi's trip to Devil's Dyke 35:10 Listener questions: parenting & caste 54:45 Shanthi shares her parents story 57:27 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

Who does Shanthi want next on the podcast? In this special, one-year anniversary episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi celebrate a whole year of the podcast with a little help from the team and a surprise message from none other than our first guest, Michael Sheen. The pair look back at some of their favourite moments from the show, reflect on how far the podcast has come, and discuss what they’d like to do next, including a potential trip to Los Angeles and a team yacht holiday. They also tackle a listener dilemma about dogs at parties, pet boundaries, parent and child tattoos, and discuss Romesh’s ambition to get on Below Deck. Plus, Shanthi has some very sweet words about Romesh and the team behind the podcast. It’s a special anniversary episode celebrating one year of The Romesh Ranganathan Show. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 07:32 Celebrating one year of the show 10:28 A message from Michael Sheen 11:15 Rom’s takeaways from the podcast 15:08 A holiday question for the team 17:43 Romesh wants to get on Below Deck 23:20 A question about dog boundaries 32:21 Convincing your mum to get a tattoo 39:22 Who do we want next on the pod? 42:11 Shanthi’s thoughts on Romesh 45:25 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

Is Romesh a bad gift-giver? In this Thursday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi celebrate Apple Dumpling Day, discuss recipes, and get to work tackling your listener dilemmas, from parenting support to the art of gift-giving. Plus, we give you a little taster of what Shanthi's cookery show, Shanthi’s Kitchen, could look like, complete with mutton rolls, some very important serving suggestions, a theme song, and a live post-show review. Another classic Thursday episode with Shanthi. 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 05:55 Jamie Oliver and recipes 07:23 Shanthi’s TV cook show teaser 13:11 A show review 14:07 Shanthi’s quick dinner 15:58 Listener questions 17:46 Parenting advice 26:23 A question about the best gift-giving 29:16 Romesh’s present prank 30:41 Is Romesh a bad gift-giver? 35:41 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

Should children be allowed at weddings? We're back with another Thursday Shanthi special, and in this episode, Romesh and Shanthi tackle your listener dilemmas and butt heads about one in particular - should children be allowed at weddings? They also discuss the pressure to always be productive, how to be kinder to yourself, and whether you can really retrain the negative voice in your head. Finally, they answer a question on unusual habits, and Romesh reveals some of Shanthi’s worst ones before addressing his bizarre shower routine. From wedding drama and self-talk, to Henry VIII and questionable habits, it’s another classic and chaotic Thursday episode with Shanthi. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:05 Henry VIII and photo requests 05:55 Shanthi influences 08:23 Cockney accents and gangster roles 13:15 Answering your questions 14:40 Children at weddings 21:05 How to be kind to yourself 25:25 Rom’s positive self-talk training 27:32 Unusual habits 36:37 Shanthi’s 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

Should Shanthi get her £35,000 garden room? In this Thursday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi are back with your questions and dilemmas — and things get out of hand fast. Shanthi campaigns hard for a garden room fit for a footballer, tries to track down her mystery American bank account, and receives an unexpected apology voice note from a stranger. Elsewhere, Romesh and Shanthi role play as a conspiracy-theorist Dad and his sensible daughter after a listener's TikTok-obsessed father-in-law starts spouting theories about the government and shampoo, and the pair tackle the age-old dilemma of when exactly you should tell a new partner about important matters. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters: 00:00 Intro1:51 Romesh’s painting4:33 Singing5:15 Shanthi’s outfit
6:44: An intervention for Romesh8:50 Asian Provocateur

10:51 Body image
15:42 Shanthi’s intro16:35 Shanthi’s American bank account19:04 Seating areas25:06 Your questions25:55 The man on the train
29:35 Idris Elba
30:48 Friends and events35:56 Another question
38:28 Conspiracy theory role play
45:14 A question about size
53:03 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

Are Romesh and Shanthi gifted artists? In this Thursday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi get in touch with their artistic side - welcome to The Art Special! From discussing buying art (aka poster prints), to the seductive wallpaper that Romesh couldn't ignore, Romesh and Shanthi discuss their favourite artists and try their hand at drawing each other, with surprising results. Elsewhere, Romesh considers whether he needs to take legal action on a birthday card situation and reflects on the talent that led him to be a four-time champion (a podcast exclusive). A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:48 Does Shanthi like art? 04:08 A game of art 9:11 Art in the home 12:12 Sexy wallpaper 12:57 Listener questions 14:14 A drawing request 18:13 The reveal 20:01 A sketch and a birthday card 22:04 Romesh’s public reading success 29:04 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

Should you stay in a situationship? In this Thursday episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh and Shanthi tackle your problems, from forgetting your neighbours’ names to dealing with the annoying aspects of parenthood. We also discuss Diane Morgan’s new show Ann Droid, and get into a debate on robots and their possibilities from household help to sex robots. Elsewhere, Romesh recommends Modern Family as a must-watch show and Shanthi gives her opinion on secret situationships, plus we visit a good old family memory of when Romesh and Dinesh set the sofa on fire. It's another classic Ranganathan family episode - don't miss it. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:10 On Diane Morgan 01:39 Shanthi’s robot experience 04:42 Sex robots 07:27 Ranganathan recommendations 11:15 An awkward name problem 15:15 Role playing Shanthi’s advice 20:41 An annoying kid question 22:14 The sofa incident 26:18 A secret situationship 33:16 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