The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Should we be worried about AI? Mathematician and presenter Hannah Fry joins Romesh to talk about her new show 'AI Confidential with Hannah Fry' and the surprising ways maths and technology shape our lives. From Hannah’s work explaining science to wider audiences, her podcast The Rest Is Science, to Grief Tech. This episode explores the strange questions maths can actually answer, from whether you could theoretically be bored to death to how to cool down your car. The conversation moves from teaching maths and traumatising students with numbers to the bigger questions around AI, technology and the future. Plus: maths jokes, a question from Shanthi, some genuinely useful science-based life tips and the team catch some strays. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. 00:00 Intro 03:19 Gift giving 07:34 Some maths jokes 10:01 On teaching maths 14:55 Traumatising people with maths 17:40 The Rest Is Science 20:39 Can you be bored to death? 26:09 On making a difference 29:28 Hannah’s ultimate tip 31:25 A question from Shanthi about tech 37:41 Hannah’s new show on AI 41:25 On Grief Tech 43:12 Do we know what we want with AI relationships? 45:03 Should we be worried? 48:45 Working with Dara O'Briain 49:40 Misquoted 00:01:47 An exclusive tip 00:02:33 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do you really want to know about your parents' holiday antics? Shanthi shares far too much, leaving Romesh desperate to "edit" certain images out of his brain. They also talk about this week’s guest, legendary documentary maker Louis Theroux, as Shanthi reveals the surprisingly dark topics she’d cover if she followed in his footsteps. Plus, Romesh hits back at criticism of his glasses – and Shanthi recalls the moment he rang her to say he’d "made it" in comedy. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media. 00:00 Intro 01:30 Glasses criticism 04:28 Louis Theroux 07:48 Embarrassing name mispronunciation 14:27 Cake 19:12 Listener holiday story 24:14 Shanthi’s Thailand story 28:42 Staying in touch with family 31:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do toxic masculinity, a lasagne obsession, and a Seat Alhambra have in common? Louis Theroux joins Romesh to draw the line between his on-camera persona and life at home. They revisit some of Louis’ most infamous documentary moments, the craft behind them, and the interview regrets he has looking back. Louis also explains why he’s drawn to spending time with people who hold extreme views, including in his latest film Inside the Manosphere, exploring misogyny and the lure of wealth in the post-Andrew Tate world with figures like HSTikkyTokky. Along the way he reflects on memorable encounters with Armie Hammer and Boris Becker – plus an uncanny King Charles impression, being “cooked” by the internet, and why he “deserved” his gold record after his viral music hit Jiggle Jiggle. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 02:15 Gift giving 03:21 Lasagna tips 06:04 Fragility in the industry 07:52 On making documentaries 22:15 On Andrew Tate 23:29 The Manosphere 29:37 Raising boys today 35:25 HStikkytokky & Jestermaxxing 41:04 Is Louis worried? 43:12 Shanthi’s question 46:21 Getting cooked & Jiggle Jiggle 51:17 On Podcasting 55:47 On Adam Buxton 59:41 On Boris Becker 01:01:03 Measuring success 01:02:09 Comedians vs non-comedians 01:04:52 Early career beginnings 01:09:22 On reviews 01:10:32 Misquoted 01:33:50 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many times can you trick your mum into saying the F-word? Romesh annoys Shanthi with terrible impressions of kids' film characters and makes his case for why the Toy Story trilogy is one of the greatest in cinematic history. They role-play a listener’s plea about how to kindly deal with smelly colleagues — and how to cope with a spoilt hen-do surprise (do you fake it?). Plus, an uncomfortably long conversation about the specifics of going to the toilet. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 01:27 Shanthi loves Tom Davis 03:22 Paddington 04:37 Kids films impressions 12:15 Advice from Shanthi & Romesh 13:40 Role playing the problem 18:51 Advice continued 23:24 Toilet talk 33:15 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and actor Tom Davis joins Romesh for a proper deep dive into comedy, his working-class roots to his success and building his career long term. They talk about Tom’s route into stand-up, creating and starring in Murder in Successville and King Gary, and what it takes to survive rejection, hyper-criticism and projects going wrong. There’s rare praise from Romesh, chaos behind the production cenes, doing his own stunts, pranks, and a BIG announcement. Plus an ever important question from Shanthi. They also get into luck in the industry, being a dad, and how success changes your perspective over time. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 2:00 A present for Tom 4:00 The Big Five 5:32 Working with Romesh 8:00 Tom’s route to comedy 11:25 Hyper criticism 12:46 Tom's background 14:23 Murder In Successville 21:00 Luck in the industry 23:07 An annoyed Romesh 23:39 Tom's favourite guest 24:49 On success 26:30 Tom's encounter with Rio Ferdinand 27:58 King Gary 30:13 Chaos behind the scenes 34:20 Working Together 36:00 House Of Fools 42:24 Wold & Owl 43:20 Pranks 44:47 A big announcement 46:46 A question from Shanthi 50:00 On being a dad 52:55 Career perspective 56:47 Tom opening for Romesh 01:01:23 Misquoted 01:08:38 An exclusive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cooking advice, dieting disasters and impressions that probably shouldn’t happen... Romesh is joined once again by mum Shanthi Ranganathan for another episode of unfiltered family chat. They cover Shanthi’s go-to recipes, strong opinions on chicken, and what it’s actually like trying to diet with a Sri Lankan mum in the house. There’s listener questions, unexpected tangents (including one about poop), impressions of Josh Widdicombe, and Romesh attempting a Tamil impression that may or may not get him in trouble. As always: advice is given confidently. Whether you should follow it is another matter. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 03:03 Josh Widdicombe Impressions 04:34 On poop 05:13 A question from you 06:10 Shanthi’s recipe 11:43 A question on chicken 14:36 Shanthi’s cooking advice 18:30 How to diet with a Sri Lankan Mum 20:24 Romesh’s Tamil Impression 23:59 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Josh Widdicombe joins Romesh to explain why he might actually prefer podcasts to television. They chat about his stand-up tour Not My Cup of Tea, appearing in more than 30 series of The Last Leg, and co-hosting the hugely successful Parenting Hell. Josh also talks about his move to Devon after being pushed out of London, rediscovering photography as a hobby, and launching his new series, Josh Widdicombe’s Museum of Pop Culture – covering everything from Mr Blobby to David Hasselhoff and the Berlin Wall. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 02:20 Podcasting vs TV 04:10 On Touring 07:45 Gift giving 14:54 Stand up 17:45 Moving 21:50 Noel Edmunds’ House 24:01 Getting business offers 27:11 A question from Shanthi 29:00 Photography and hobbies 33:30 Romesh on his Marathon 36:16 Drinking habits and ChatGPT 44:41 Josh on podcasting 50:06 Obsessions and interests 55:53 Parenting Hell 58:38 Rob Beckett 01:02:40 Agents and insecurities 01:06:42 Being mimicable 01:11:50 Misquoted 01:30:20 An Exclusive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s snacks, arguments and family drama as Romesh is joined by mum Shanthi for another episode of strong opinions and zero agreement. They get into the ongoing dispute about mutton rolls, Romesh’s near-death experience with chilli oil, Shanthi’s love for Sheridan Smith and breakdown the headline-making Beckham family tension. There’s also Dungeon & Dragons confusion, and Shanthi's questionable rules about girls. Expect bickering, roasting and classic Shanthi energy throughout. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From comedy beginnings to renowned actor and West End star, Sheridan Smith joins Romesh for a wide-ranging chat about confidence, acting and carving out a career that spans stage and screen. They talk about imposter syndrome, developing characters and working together on the West End show Woman In Mind. Plus, a hip hop gift and a rather disappointing 50 Cent impression from Romesh. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 00:32 Romesh Admits Being Jealous 02:30 The Audition for Take That 05:33 Gifts 08:50 Mark Owen's Dream Trip to Graceland 10:02 "Heimscheißer" 12:40 Take That's Circus Tour 20:00 Take That's Early Career Regrets 21:22 The Take That Annual Fact File 24:53 Gary Barlow's Star Trek Fandom 27:33 If Not Music, Then What? 32:03 Take That's Favourite Films 33:42 Netflix Documentary 37:17 The Pressures of Songwriting 40:04 Howard Donald on His Role in the Band 42:50 The Most Unusual Present from a Fan 44:37 The 90s 48:47 Misquoted: "Beards Can Get a Bit Sweaty" 53:32 "We Weren't a Boy Band" 57:10 Future Ambitions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Romesh is joined by mum Shanthi Ranganathan for another episode of strong opinions, unexpected confessions and classic family chaos. From learning Spanish and declaring her love for Take That, to unpacking fan obsessions and answering listener questions, Shanthi once again proves she’s the star of the show. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 01:19 Shanthi learns some Spanish 03:38 Shanthi’s a Take That fan 05:10 A team question 07:05 A fan obsession 08:55 Romesh’s seduction 11:20 Is Romesh Crawley’s golden boy? 18:39 A final question from the listeners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald sit down with Romesh to talk about the ups and downs of Take That – from their crazy beginnings in the 90s to the reboot of their legendary Circus Tour. They talk about the band's audition process, the pressures of songwriting, and Gary Barlow's not-very-popstar passions: Star Trek and interior design magazines. Plus Romesh admits to a 30-year-old act of jealousy. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen.  00:00 Intro 00:32 Romesh Admits Being Jealous 02:30 The Audition for Take That 05:33 Gifts 08:50 Mark Owen's Dream Trip to Graceland 10:02 "Heimscheißer" 12:40 Take That's Circus Tour 20:00 Take That's Early Career Regrets 21:22 The Take That Annual Fact File 24:53 Gary Barlow's Star Trek Fandom 27:33 If Not Music, Then What? 32:03 Take That's Favourite Films 33:42 Netflix Documentary 37:17 The Pressures of Songwriting 40:04 Howard Donald on His Role in the Band 42:50 The Most Unusual Present from a Fan 44:37 The 90s  48:47 Misquoted: "Beards Can Get a Bit Sweaty" 53:32 "We Weren't a Boy Band" 57:10 Future Ambitions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Romesh and Shanthi play a chaotic game of “Would You Rather?”, take aim at coffee snobs (George Clooney included!), and reminisce about iconic old TV adverts. Things go off the rails with dirty genie wishes, awkward gift-giving dilemmas, and an embarrassing misunderstanding about the ingredients of a popular energy drink. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 01:45 Red Bull 02:48 Favourite Adverts 07:11 Shanthi on Coffee 11:00 Would You Rather...? 17:41 Genie Wishes 22:10 Advice on Motherhood 28:08 Gifting Dilema Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer of Adolescence, Skins and This Is England, Jack Thorne joins Romesh to talk about the global impact of Adolescence and working closely with Stephen Graham. Jack opens up about social anxiety, imposter syndrome and how appearing on Desert Island Discs led to his autism diagnosis. They also discuss incel culture, kindness online, shifting power in the TV industry, Jack’s love of E.T. and work life balance. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen.  00:00 Intro 00:55 The reaction to Adolescence 01:30 Jack’s relationship with Stephen Graham 02:55 Working with Brad Pitt 04:10 Talking about incel culture 08:25 Finding kindness online 09:40 Critics’ response to Adolescence 12:24 How invested audiences became 14:15 The real-world impact of the show 16:50 Parents’ reactions 18:19 Romesh’s mum’s question 20:40 Romesh’s gift and Jack’s love for E.T. 25:40 Jack’s obsession with the NFL 30:33 Romesh on work ethic 32:20 Work life balance 35:22 Imposter syndrome 42:05 How the TV landscape is changing 43:20 What Jack wants to do next 49:57 Desert Island Discs and autism diagnosis 54:36 Misquoted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you fix toddler tantrums or a child who’s a fussy eater? This week, “Auntie Shanthi” offers some dubious advice to listeners. She also chats to Romesh about her 2026 resolutions, learning computers with a mystery gentleman, and passes judgement on Will Arnett’s famously sexy voice. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 03:06 Shanthi’s list 03:58 Complaining 05:29 2026 resolutions 08:13 Shanthi on Will Arnett 10:46 Shanthi’s advice 18:10 Films that made an impression 23:28 Shanthi’s cookery show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actor and comedian, Will Arnett joins Romesh to talk about stand-up, passing as a comic and the making of new movie Is This Thing On? They get into BoJack Horseman, social media, being a dad and befriending John Bishop. With an divisive takes on tattoos, football and meeting Jürgen Klopp. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 01:45 A gift for Will 02:35 Will on meeting Jürgen Klopp 04:05 Arsenal vs Liverpool 06:11 Working with John Bishop 10:13 The making of Is This Thing On? 14:13 Practicing stand up 18:51 Shanthi’s question to Will 19:30 BoJack Horseman 30:10 Will’s controversial opinion on tattoos 34:50 Misquoted 42:31 Social media 47:44 Misquoted continued 49:40 Being a dad 53:30 Will passes as a comic 55:33 Exclusive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shanthi and Romesh answer your questions and act out several scenes from alternative James Bond improv to hypothetical genies. Plus Shanthi's opinion on why some things are worth buying no matter the price. There’s villain energy, big laughs, questionable casting and as per usual, plenty of moments where neither of them can keep it together. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro01:30 Shanthi & Romesh answer your questions02:49 Shanthi’s acting background04:50 An improvised scene09:03 Shanthi 00711:47 A question about a genie17:33 Expensive perfume Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Singer-songwriter Joy Crookes joins Romesh to talk about her second album, touring, and how her Bangladeshi and Irish heritage influences her work. Joy also discusses why she'd be perfect for a Bend It Like Beckham sequel, uncompleted ADHD tests, and brave words said to Thierry Henry. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen.00:00 Intro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shanthi brings up an embarrassing conversation about James Acaster's manhood, get's confused between boxing and wrestling – plus she joins Romesh in attempting some impressions, including Chris Eubank, Gollum, Michael Macintyre and Mrs. Doubtfire. A Ranga Bee production in partnership with Listen 00:00 Romesh Sings 01:00 Boxing Intro  03:00 Shanthi on James Acaster 5:45 Chris Eubank  7:15 Mothers Deserve Respect 12:20 Impressions  19:56 Secrets to Success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, musician and Off Menu podcast host James Acaster joins Romesh to talk about returning to stand-up, mental health… and why you definitely shouldn’t have an affair during a West End show. He pitches a new travel TV idea for Shanthi (very much without Romesh), and discusses his forthcoming album — a project 20 years in the making. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Intro 00:10 Don't Have An Affair 01:50 James Roasts The Set 04:22 Unwanted Gifts 06:53 Stand Up, Ego & Expectations 16:00 Josie Long 22:50 Shanthi’s Question 26:35 Visiting Sri Lanka 27:12 Travel Show Idea 35:00 Misquoted 37:20 Mental Health 40:08 Romesh on Spiralling 44:57 Misquoted Continued 46:42 James' New Album 51:00 Turning 40 51:57 Future Plans 1:00:50 Off Menu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Romesh STILL doesn't believe that Shanthi wrote the infamous festive planning list... and the cross-examination continues! The pair then dive into your dilemmas, including how to deal with mums who ignore boundaries – and a heated debate on wedding etiquette after one listener reveals their mother-in-law wore white on the big day. A Ranga Bee production in partnership with Listen. 00:00 Romesh is relaxed 00:56 Shanthi's New Year Resolutions 02:00 Shanthi's List Controversy 06:40 Hard Times 11:00 Be Kind To Your Mum 15:45 Texting Etiquette 20:40 White Dress At Someone Else's Wedding 24:55 Wedding Etiquette Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices