Comedian Romesh Ranganathan will make his West End debut later this year, co-starring in a play with Sheridan Smith. But although it’s first time acting on stage, he tells BBC News he’s aware of the risks of overexposure.
The 47-year-old is already one of the most familiar faces in British entertainment, with a CV that includes The Weakest Link, A League of Their Own, a BBC Radio 2 show, hosting the TV Baftas, and several documentaries and sitcoms.
From December, Ranganathan will also appear in a new production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Woman in Mind. But taking on new roles isn’t without risk, in an entertainment landscape where the public can grow tired of seeing the same stars.
“Well, I just want to put this out there, and I’d love you to publicise this as much as possible: I do say no to stuff,” Ranganathan jokes to BBC News. “I’m not just walking around taking whatever’s offered.
“The truth is, people say to me ‘you’re on everything’ – that accusation has been levelled at me.
“But I feel like whenever I’m thinking about doing something, I’m just asking, do I think think this will be good, is it something I’d watch, is it something I think I’d be able to do a decent job at? And then, if the answer to those questions is yes, that’s what makes you do it.
“I mean, obviously I need a fee as well,” he laughs, “there’s no point in doing it totally for the love of the game.”
