EXCLUSIVE: Currently starring on Celebrity Traitors, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan talk about their two-decade long bromance and fears their friendship wouldn’t last the fickle world of TV
They’ve been best mates since meeting as unknowns on the comedy circuit almost two decades ago. But Celebrity Traitors stars Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, 48, today tell the Mirror they actually feared working together on TV – including the latest series of their Sky show – could lead them to fall out.
“We were close before, but now we’re like brothers,” Rob, 40, admits. “I love Romesh to pieces, and my biggest fear was: ‘I hope this show didn’t make us drift apart like some people on TV do.
“If anything, our friendship has increased and we’ve become stronger. The TV just becomes less important, which is the best way it could be.”
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Former teacher Romesh, 48, adds that their enormous success as a BAFTA-award-winning comedy duo – while juggling their 18-year bromance as best mates – is “an incredible thing.”
“When you think back to all of the different stuff we’ve done, I feel very lucky to have done it with Rob,” he says.
“Rob is one of the most talented comics I’ve ever seen. So that opportunity to do a show with him and he’s a mate – it’s an incredible thing. I don’t think either of us take it for granted.”
Rob and Rom met on the comedy circuit gigging for ‘no money’ around 18 years ago. Years before fame and fortune the pair were two unknowns trying their hand at standup before slow and steady success meant they could ditch the day jobs. Romesh was a maths teacher while Rob was as an office temp.
They quickly became good mates. Fast forward a couple of decades and the pair are such firm friends last summer they holidayed together with Rob’s wife, Lou and their two daughters and Romesh’s wife, Leesa and their three sons, Alex, 16, Theo, 14, and Charlie, 11.
Their on-screen chemistry is such TV gold it led to them both landing the biggest gig in telly with the Beeb’s second series of smash hit Celebrity Traitors.
Now on their ninth series of their Sky show Rob & Romesh Vs, the pair have travelled the world together trying their hand at everything from fierce New York rap battles with hip-hop giants the Wu-Tang Clan, to racing Usain Bolt in Jamaica to performing Shakespeare at The Globe with The Office star Martin Freeman. They even managed to land roles in a blockbuster Bollywood movie in Mumbai.
On TV screens from Wednesday, the latest series sees the best pals trying out everything from Kung-Fu to Vampire hunting to the Tour De France, which will not to save their blushes.
“Cycling was a challenge, just the Lycra from a morale point of view,” Rob admits. “We hit rock bottom on the Champs Elysées. I’l never look at that roundabout without thinking of my back fat.
“Even if you’re ripped you look like a tw*t. It’s Japanese knotweed for the body. Once it’s on, everything falls apart. Images of ourselves in Lycra led both of us to go on quite a severe health kick,” Rom admits.“People were taking photos and tagging us – you click on your socials and set fire to your self-esteem.”
“I didn’t read the comments just saw a picture and that ruined my week,” Rob adds. “Luckily, millions of people are about to watch it on Sky…”
Rob & Romesh Vs returns to returns to Sky and streaming service NOW on 14 October Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook,YouTube and Threads.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
