Romesh Ranganathan speaks to Virgin Radio about his Netflix special

The comedian and actor was a guest on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

He spoke to Chris about The Cynic, his new Netflix special, available on Netflix from today. The recording follows his sell out tour (The Cynic’s Mixtape) between 2019 and 2022 and was recorded at his hometown gig at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.

Romesh explained that the show features an apology to his kids: “In my last show, I talked about the difficulties of parenting, and I assumed it was implicit that I loved my children, and that I was just talking about how annoying it can be to be a parent sometimes, but then I’d be out with my children, and people would come up to me and go, ‘Which one’s the awful one then?’ in front of them, and sort of point at them,” he said.

“So, I slightly regret some of the stuff I’ve said about my children,” he admitted, before telling Chris: “I apologise and then immediately do another few gags!”

Known for his deadpan, self-deprecating comedy, Romesh explained how he finds subject-matter for his shows: “There’s loads of great comics that do stuff that’s completely surreal, but for me, the stuff that I almost felt it embarrassing to write about was the stuff that worked the best onstage. And so, whenever I’m thinking of an idea, and I think ‘I’m not sure I want to share that,’ that normally means that it’s a good thing.

“If I feel a bit of a cringe, or a twinge of embarrassment as I’m expressing… then I know that this is going to be a routine.”

He added that it isn’t possible to find something everyone likes, but you have to go with what you think is good.

In his show, Romesh covers various topics including having a go at Brighton beach: “I just have an issue with pebble beaches, that’s all. This thing of pretending to be comfortable by sitting down on something that is so horrific,” he explained.

“‘The sea’s nice. We’re so near the sea, aren’t we?’ Yeah, but you’re in agony.”

He also spoke to Chris about a new Sky comedy drama, Romantic Getaway, he stars in next year. In it, he and his partner, played by Katherine Ryan, steal money from where they work to pay for IVF as they are trying for a baby.

“The series is the fallout from that and our descent into the escalation of that, trying to cover it up,” He explained.

Romesh will also host the new series and Christmas special of The Weakest Link, and has fronted shows such as The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, The Ranganation, Rob & Romesh Vs, A League of Their Own and Asian Provocateur.

“People think I’ve got a work ethic, but I don’t. I just genuinely… I do really love doing all these different things.

“I’m very good at doing nothing. If I shut down, if I have a weekend off, my ability to essentially sit completely motionless is infinite,” he told Chris.

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio.