Few comedians have turned self-deprecation into a career quite like Romesh Ranganathan. The former maths teacher from Crawley built a reputation on deadpan grumpiness and became one of the busiest faces on British television, and in October 2026 he added an unexpected title to his CV: joint winner of The Celebrity Traitors, where he outlasted 19 other stars as a loyal Faithful.
| Full name | Jonathan Romesh Ranganathan |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | March 27, 1978 |
| Age | 48 (as of October 2026) |
| Birthplace | Crawley, West Sussex, England |
| Heritage | Sri Lankan Tamil parents |
| Education | BSc in Mathematics, Birkbeck, University of London |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, TV presenter, actor, writer, radio host |
| Former job | Secondary school maths teacher |
| Known for | The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, Rob & Romesh Vs, The Weakest Link, The Celebrity Traitors (2026 winner) |
| Spouse | Leesa Ranganathan |
| Children | Three sons |
| Net worth | Not publicly disclosed |
Early Life
Jonathan Romesh Ranganathan was born on March 27, 1978, in Crawley, West Sussex, to Sri Lankan Tamil parents. Crawley, a commuter town south of London best known for sitting next to Gatwick Airport, would become a running joke in his act and, eventually, the title of his memoir. He grew up there and has never really left the town behind, either geographically or comedically.
As a pupil he attended Reigate Grammar School and then Hazelwick School in Crawley, a school that would play a surprisingly large part in his story. He went on to study mathematics at Birkbeck, University of London, and then did something few future TV stars do: he went back into the classroom. Ranganathan became a secondary school maths teacher, working at Hazelwick School in Crawley and later at The Beacon School in Banstead, Surrey. It was at Hazelwick that he met his future wife, Leesa, who taught drama there.
His other great love at the time was hip-hop. Even while teaching he was a keen freestyle rapper, and that passion has followed him into his broadcasting career.
Career
From the classroom to the comedy circuit
Ranganathan started performing stand-up while he was still teaching, juggling lesson plans with club gigs. His stage persona took shape early: a weary, sardonic family man, unimpressed by almost everything, whose best jokes were usually at his own expense.
Once the gigs began to pay, he left teaching to perform full-time. Within a few years he had become a familiar face on the UK comedy scene and a regular on panel shows, including the BBC’s Mock the Week, where his dry delivery stood out among faster, louder comics. Appearances on Have I Got News for You and 8 Out of 10 Cats followed, and the comedy channel Dave later gave him his own courtroom-style show, Judge Romesh, which ran from 2018 to 2019.
Breakthrough on television (2015-2019)
His first major TV vehicle was personal. In Asian Provocateur, which aired on BBC Three from 2015, he travelled to Sri Lanka to explore his roots. The show’s mix of culture-clash comedy and real warmth set the template for much of his later work.
He then teamed up with fellow comedian Rob Beckett for Rob & Romesh Vs, which they have co-presented on Sky since 2019. Their easy chemistry turned the show into a long-running hit. In 2018 he also joined Sky’s sports comedy panel show A League of Their Own as a regular.
In 2018 he launched The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, a BBC Two travel series that brought him the BAFTA TV Award for Best Features in 2020. The same year as the show’s launch, he published his memoir, Straight Outta Crawley: Memoirs of a Distinctly Average Human Being, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. He followed it in 2020 with As Good As It Gets: Life Lessons from a Reluctant Adult.
Host, actor and radio presenter (2019-2025)
From 2019 he fronted The Ranganation on BBC Two, a topical show in which he discussed the week’s news with a panel of ordinary members of the public. According to Wikipedia, it brought him a second BAFTA TV Award, for Best Entertainment Performance, in 2021.
That same year the BBC handed him one of its most recognisable formats. In December 2021 he took over The Weakest Link on BBC One, succeeding the famously icy Anne Robinson. Ranganathan swapped her steely glare for sarcastic asides, giving the quiz a very different tone.
He also stepped up as an actor and writer. He appeared in sitcoms such as The Reluctant Landlord and King Gary, and co-created, co-wrote and starred in the BBC One comedy Avoidance, which ran from 2022 to 2024. On the radio, his BBC Radio 2 show For the Love of Hip Hop gave him a platform to share the music he has loved since his teens. In April 2024 he also took over Radio 2’s Saturday lunchtime slot from Claudia Winkleman, the presenter who would later host him on The Celebrity Traitors.
What’s New in 2026
The autumn of 2026 has been a career high. Ranganathan was one of 21 famous names cast in the second series of The Celebrity Traitors, which began on BBC One on October 1, 2026, alongside stars such as Bella Ramsey, Michael Sheen, James Blunt and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
The show arrived with sky-high expectations. Its first celebrity series in 2025, won by Traitor Alan Carr, had become a national talking point, and the 2026 edition matched the hype: The Independent reported that its semi-final drew 10.7 million live viewers, the biggest live audience in the show’s history. Ranganathan kept a relatively low profile, earned a protective shield in the very first episode and steadily worked his way to the end.
He played the whole game as a Faithful and reached the final on Friday, October 30, 2026. At the last fire pit, he and Sebastian Croft, the 24-year-old actor and musician best known for the Netflix series Heartstopper, had to break a tie between King Kenny and James Blunt, and chose to banish Kenny, the last remaining Traitor. When Blunt then pushed for one more banishment, the pair voted him out and won the series together. Love Island host Maya Jama, one of the Traitors, had been banished earlier in the final.
“Bash, I began this game as a Faithful, and I’m ending this game as a Faithful,” Ranganathan said at the end, according to RTÉ. The winners split an £83,000 prize for charity, and PinkNews reported that his half goes to the Refugee Council. You can read the full story of the finale in our report on the Celebrity Traitors 2026 winners.
The timing is good for him: his new stand-up tour, Romesh Ranganathan Will Change Your Life, opens on November 7, 2026, at the Cambridge Corn Exchange and runs into spring 2027, including two nights at London’s O2 arena in April, according to his promoter Off The Kerb.
Personal Life
Ranganathan is married to Leesa Ranganathan, the drama teacher he met while they were colleagues at Hazelwick School. The couple have three sons, who, by his own account, are not easily impressed by his fame. Beyond affectionate jokes on stage, he keeps their lives private.
His Sri Lankan Tamil heritage has been a recurring theme in his work, from Asian Provocateur to his books. Despite his success, he has remained closely associated with Crawley, and local media in Sussex followed his Celebrity Traitors run closely, proudly describing him as “Crawley’s Romesh Ranganathan.”
Net Worth
Romesh Ranganathan’s net worth has not been publicly disclosed, and there is no reliable official figure for his earnings. Online estimates vary widely and are not backed by verifiable sources, so we do not repeat them here. What is clear is that his income comes from several directions: BBC and Sky presenting work, his long-running stand-up tours, bestselling books, radio and podcasts.
FAQ
How old is Romesh Ranganathan?
Romesh Ranganathan was born on March 27, 1978, which makes him 48 years old as of October 2026.
Did Romesh Ranganathan win The Celebrity Traitors?
Yes. He won the second series in October 2026 alongside Sebastian Croft, with both finishing as Faithfuls. They shared an £83,000 prize for charity.
Was Romesh Ranganathan a teacher?
Yes. Before turning to comedy full-time, he was a secondary school maths teacher at Hazelwick School in Crawley and The Beacon School in Banstead.
Who is Romesh Ranganathan’s wife?
He is married to Leesa Ranganathan, a drama teacher he met while they both worked at Hazelwick School. They have three sons.
Where is Romesh Ranganathan from?
He was born and raised in Crawley, West Sussex, England, to Sri Lankan Tamil parents.
What is Romesh Ranganathan’s net worth?
His net worth has not been publicly disclosed, and no official figure is available.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Romesh Ranganathan
- NationalWorld: Who is Romesh Ranganathan?
- JLA: Romesh Ranganathan profile
- RTÉ: The Celebrity Traitors winners are crowned
- PinkNews: Celebrity Traitors winners 2026
- Wikipedia: The Celebrity Traitors series 2
- Off The Kerb: Will Change Your Life 2026/27 tour