The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Is Riz Ahmed about to become a stand-up?

This week, Romesh is joined by Oscar and Emmy-winning actor, rapper and writer Riz Ahmed. Romesh surprises him with a very special gift, and the two get into what it takes to create something as personal as Bait, the series Riz has spent a decade getting made.

They talk about code-switching, finding the space to be yourself, and why it’s so hard to enjoy success when you’re in the middle of it. Riz also opens up about his dad, and what Tom Cruise had to say about his mum at the royal premiere of Digger.

Plus, there’s a lot of hip hop talk (Biggie or Tupac?), a game of Misquoted, and a closing story that’s far darker than anyone expected.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:02 Why Riz changed his name
02:34 A gift for Riz
05:38 Why taste in stand-up beats ability
11:45 Riz on SNL
14:17 Riz's attempt at stand-up
24:40 Why Riz hates being boxed in
26:13 Bait and landing James Bond
31:55 Putting your own life on screen
38:09 A question from Shanthi
39:11 Riz's mum, Tom Cruise and the royal premiere
48:50 Losing his dad
50:51 What Romesh's dad said after a gig
54:59 Biggie or Tupac?
1:04:19 Misquoted
1:08:24 Riz's dark closing story
1:10:59 Outro

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Happy Halloween! How does Shanthi deal with Trick or Treaters?

It’s Thursday, so Romesh’s mum Shanthi is here to answer your questions and family dilemmas, this time with a Halloween twist.

Expect some trick or treat role play, a Halloween edition of Would You Rather, and plenty of unexpected answers.

Plus, there are listener dilemmas covering school nightmares, an expensive embarrassing mishap and a workplace outfit that got out of hand. As ever, Shanthi has her own strong opinions.

Happy Halloween from Romesh, Shanthi and the whole Ranga Bee team.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
04:26 Shanthi's Halloween traditions
05:29 Trick or treat role play
07:27 Would You Rather: Halloween edition
11:03 Listener questions
17:11 Romesh's cane plans
20:30 A very expensive embarrassing mishap
27:19 Shanthi's solution
28:47 Style dilemma
34:40 Outro

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In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by Jessica Biel and John Cena to talk about their new action-comedy Matchbox: The Movie, streaming now on Apple TV.

They discuss the stunts that terrified them, the realities of driving a car next to a man hanging underneath a moving truck, and the art of staying funny when you’re meant to be the straight man.

They also get into their very different approaches to Halloween, John’s hip hop career, and why London’s food scene deserves more credit than it gets.

Plus, there’s a question from Shanthi, a game of Misquoted featuring an unexpected movement, and some surprisingly good advice to finish.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
03:50 A gift for Jessica and John
05:12 Is London's food scene really that bad?
07:52 Why they signed up for Matchbox: The Movie
14:26 Learning to spin a car 180
16:16 Delivering lines while hanging under a truck
20:20 A question from Shanthi
27:21 Karaoke and John's rap career
32:51 How to make action comedy work
37:55 Making a film with friends
40:46 Misquoted
41:12 The shower eating movement
48:27 Being the uncool parent
50:07 The best advice they've been given
52:50 Outro

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What’s the best way to cure a fear of flying? According to Shanthi, pray...or fly to Portsmouth.

It’s Thursday, which means Romesh’s mum Shanthi is back to answer your questions and family dilemmas on The Romesh Ranganathan Show.

There’s a lottery win dream purchase, a trigonometry refresher with a questionable acronym, a garden centre saga that Shanthi has been waiting to tell, and a flight attendant role play that goes completely off the rails.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:52 Shanthi's nail dilemma
06:14 Shanthi's pep talk for the show
08:26 Who is Shanthi's best friend?
09:45 Listener questions
10:11 Ruby's fear of flying
15:31 The mystery noise
19:40 Shanthi's advice for new parents
24:15 Romesh's rapper days
25:15 Shanthi's garden centre saga
28:23 Could Shanthi have been a flight attendant?
30:08 Flight attendant role play
33:38 Outro

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Why did Katherine Ryan fly home from Spain on her own?

In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by comedian, presenter and author Katherine Ryan, ahead of her new book Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter (out 22nd October).

They get into eldest daughter syndrome, juggling four kids and a career, and why Katherine thinks women should misbehave a little more.

Plus, there’s a Romesh gift with a very questionable backstory, a game of Misquoted involving maple syrup and a Bolognese, and some strong opinions on how to clean a toilet properly.

Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code 'romesh' at checkout. Download the Saily app or visit Sally's website here.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:29 Katherine's Spanish escape
07:47 Celine Dion in Paris
13:26 A gift for Katherine
17:18 Kids' birthday parties and drunk mums
23:17 Parenting with a nanny rota
28:04 The double standards women face
29:07 Katherine's secret life in the TikTok comments
36:26 Hollywood and Nikki Glaser
39:39 Hiding a pregnancy on a sitcom
41:38 Confessions of a Firstborn Daughter
42:34 What is eldest daughter syndrome?
47:41 A question from Shanthi
48:22 Katherine's 17-year-old daughter, Violet
51:36 Cosmetic procedures and confidence
58:49 Misquoted
1:09:09 Outro

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How should you react when your son offers you an all-expenses-paid holiday?

On this edition of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh tells his mum Shanthi he’s taking her to Portugal next May. Her first reaction is not what he’d hoped for, so they try again.

Before that, there’s a public plea to Next for freebies and an embarrassing underwear moment from Romesh’s teaching days.

Then it’s your questions: what to do when a child repeats the wrong line in public, how to handle friends and family teasing you for being vegan, and Romesh’s very questionable translation of a Portuguese doughnut chant.
A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
00:57 Next owes Shanthi freebies
06:55 Romesh’s underwear at the till
08:29 What did Tom Hiddleston whisper to Idris Elba?
12:09 Would Shanthi climb Everest?
13:35 Are the Northern Lights overrated?
16:23 Romesh’s holiday announcement
18:28 “We’re not going to Portugal”
20:03 Take two: the redo
20:38 Taking the podcast to Portugal
21:28 Lisa meets Jamie Redknapp
24:58 Romesh helps an injured cyclist
33:11 Does Shanthi swear?
36:02 The Portuguese doughnut sellers
45:56 Would Shanthi ever go vegan?
48:20 Outro

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What do Loki, Everest and Arsenal tea bags have in common?

In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by actor Tom Hiddleston to talk about his new film Tenzing the true story behind the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, and what it was like filming it for real, with no green screen.

They also get into 16 years as Loki, what Marvel gets right (and why it deserves more credit), and exactly how much Tom knows about what comes next.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Tenzing is available on Apple TV from 16th October. 

Chapters

00:00 Intro
02:50 A gift for Tom
05:02 How will Arsenal do this season?
06:16 Tom’s Soccer Aid experience
10:41 Are actors competitive?
13:30 Tom’s new film, Tenzing
14:28 Why Tenzing’s story needed telling
23:33 Filming Everest for real
25:08 Playing Loki
31:21 Why Marvel connects with everyone
38:05 Doomsday theories
42:07 A question from Shanthi
45:42 That Chatty Man dance
46:56 Dancing in Much Ado About Nothing
55:40 The best advice Tom’s ever been given
57:42 Outro

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What do you say when your 8-year-old walks in on you in 'the act'?

Romesh and his mum Shanthi take on your questions and family dilemmas, even though they remain thoroughly unqualified to do so.

This week, a listener needs help after their son caught them in the middle of the night, and Romesh and Shanthi try to work out the best response. A role play that quickly goes off the rails...

Got a dilemma? Send us a voice note or email, and we might answer it on the show. Nothing is off limits (we really mean it).

A Ranga Bee Production.

00:30 Shanthi's Next outfit

03:08 Caught by an 8-year-old

05:11 Questionable role play

14:03 Romesh on gym self-consciousness

19:10 Romesh's golden rule for sticking to fitness

20:13 Shanthi's diet and jacket potato fillings

22:16 Farting etiquette

24:56 Does reincarnation exist?

29:12 The reincarnated child surgeon

31:48 Shanthi's fortune teller and the fake FUBU

36:23 Romesh can't read the menu

43:07 Outro

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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 Intro
05:56 A gift for Stacey
08:21 Why Stacey loves boxing
12:39 Stacey hobbies
14:36 Questionable role play
17:06 What makes Stacey a good documentary maker
25:37 Selling Sunset and Below Deck gossip
28:16 Louis Theroux and the manosphere
29:55 Stacey's new documentaries
38:38 Are there really goodies and baddies?
44:35 A question from Shanthi
45:43 Why Stacey hates Southampton
50:47 Lessons from inspiring women
55:16 Who Stacey would love to interview
1:07:27 Outro

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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

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