The Ranganation is a British comedy show hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and broadcast on BBC Two. Ranganathan joins a group of 25 members of the public, including his mother, to discuss news events of the week. Two celebrity guests are also featured. The first series of six 45-minute episodes premiered on 19 May 2019. The second series of six episodes was filmed remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and first aired on 10 May 2020.

The Ranganation
GenreComedy
Directed byBarbara Wiltshire
Presented byRomesh Ranganathan
StarringShanthi Ranganathan
Opening theme"No CD" by Loyle Carner
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes22 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducersMark Barrett
Mia Cross
Monica Long
Production locationsTelevision Centre, London (2019)
BBC Elstree Centre (2019)
Pinewood Studios (2021–22)
Running time45 minutes
Production companyZeppotron
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release19 May 2019 (2019-05-19) –
6 November 2022 (2022-11-06)

Production

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A pilot was filmed on 20 May 2018, produced by Zeppotron.[1][2] The first series was commissioned in August 2018.[3] It consisted of six weekly 45-minute episodes, beginning on 19 May 2019 and ending on 23 June 2019.

Ranganathan said that he wanted the programme to be a "topical show, not a political show". He said that the casting focused on recruiting a diverse group of "regular people who are opinionated and passionate", and that he enjoyed the honesty of the panellists. Asked who his ideal guest would be in 2018, Ranganathan said it would be Justin Trudeau if he was British, or Idris Elba.[4] When asked again in 2020, he suggested Patrick Stewart.[5]

The second series of six episodes aired in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] It was one of several topical British shows to be filmed and hosted by each participant remotely from their home, along with Have I Got News for You, The Mash Report and The Last Leg. Ranganathan filmed in his garage, requiring him to remove DJ equipment he bought to learn how to disc jockey during the pandemic. On Sunday, 10 May 2020 at 9:15 p.m., the first episode aired. The production aimed to incorporate a mixture of topics, despite homogeneous pandemic news coverage.[7][8][5]

On 18 January 2021, the BBC Press office announced the third series of The Ranganation would return that February. While Ranganathan was filmed from a studio, the guests participated from home.[9] A fourth series began in October 2021. Following the relaxation of social distancing guidelines in the summer, Ranganathan and celebrity guests record in the studio while members still contribute remotely.

Awards and nominations

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Award Date of Ceremony Category Result
British Academy Television Awards[10] 31 July 2020 Best Comedy Entertainment Programme Nominated
Royal Television Society Programme Awards[11] 16 March 2021 Comedy Entertainment Won
Broadcast Awards[12] 27 May 2021 Best Lockdown Programme: Entertainment, Comedy and Scripted Won
British Academy Television Awards[13] 6 June 2021 Best Comedy Entertainment Programme Nominated

Episodes

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Series 1

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No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestsOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [14]
11Rob Beckett and Fay Ripley19 May 2019 (2019-05-19)1.49
22Natasia Demetriou and Katherine Ryan26 May 2019 (2019-05-26)1.19
33Jessica Hynes and Jon Richardson2 June 2019 (2019-06-02)1.01
44Tom Davis and Sara Pascoe9 June 2019 (2019-06-09)N/A (< 1.15)[a]
55Kerry Godliman and Richard Osman16 June 2019 (2019-06-16)1.29
66Angela Scanlon and Tom Allen23 June 2019 (2019-06-23)1.25

Series 2

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No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestsOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
71Danny Dyer and Katherine Ryan10 May 2020 (2020-05-10)TBA
82Jon Richardson and Scarlett Moffatt17 May 2020 (2020-05-17)TBA
93Rob Beckett and Jo Brand24 May 2020 (2020-05-24)TBA
104Jason Manford and Aisling Bea31 May 2020 (2020-05-31)TBA
115Tom Allen and Paloma Faith7 June 2020 (2020-06-07)TBA
126Andrew Flintoff and Sara Pascoe14 June 2020 (2020-06-14)TBA

Series 3

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No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestsOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
131Jack Dee and Alex Jones7 February 2021 (2021-02-07)TBA
142Katherine Ryan and Mo Gilligan14 February 2021 (2021-02-14)TBA
153Nish Kumar and Rosie Jones21 February 2021 (2021-02-21)TBA
164Judi Love and Joe Lycett28 February 2021 (2021-02-28)TBA
175Jamie Laing and Roisin Conaty7 March 2021 (2021-03-07)TBA
186Richard Madeley and Maisie Adam14 March 2021 (2021-03-14)TBA

Series 4

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No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestsOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
191Jack Dee and Hannah Waddingham3 October 2021 (2021-10-03)TBA
202Jon Richardson and Nadiya Hussain10 October 2021 (2021-10-10)TBA
213Roisin Conaty and Guz Khan17 October 2021 (2021-10-17)TBA
224Richard Osman and Harriet Kemsley24 October 2021 (2021-10-24)TBA
235Jo Brand and Ranj Singh31 October 2021 (2021-10-31)TBA
246Scarlett Moffatt and Josh Widdicombe (Christmas Special)19 December 2021 (2021-12-19)TBA

Series 5

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No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestsOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
251Alex Brooker and Anna Maxwell Martin1 October 2022 (2022-10-01)TBA
262James Acaster and Lady Leshurr9 October 2022 (2022-10-09)TBA
273Jack Dee and Sophie Willan16 October 2022 (2022-10-16)TBA
284Sara Pascoe and Big Zuu[15]23 October 2022 (2022-10-23)TBA
295Lucy Beaumont and Stephen Mangan[16]30 October 2022 (2022-10-30)TBA
306Oti Mabuse and Jo Brand[17]6 November 2022 (2022-11-06)TBA

Topics

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The first series included a wide variety of discussions including:

  • Episode 1: Do you wash your legs in the shower?[18]
  • Episode 2: Should plastic straws be banned?[19]
  • Episode 3: Should homework be banned?[20]
  • Episode 4: Do you believe in UFOs?[21]
  • Episode 5: The staggering number of UK adults sleeping with a soft toy[22]
  • Episode 6: Trying to answer stupid job interview questions[23]

Series members

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Each series of The Ranganation includes a diverse cross-section of the public with each member having a unique nickname. Some notable participants include Romesh's mum, Scott Caizley under the nickname OMG PHD, Param Singh who is Wheeler Dealer, and Anglia TV announcer Katie Glass who is You're History.

Series 1

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In the first series, 29 people appeared on the show: Vlogger, Vicars Daughter, Privileged, Yes Miss, Football Mad, OMG PHD, Lord Dave, Selfie Queen, EcoVegan, Wannabe MP, Mindful, Oxbridge, Dog Father, Technophobe, Table for One, Small Town Girl, Ex Banker, Gen Z, Wheeler Dealer, The Skipper, Single Dad, You're History, Witness the Fitness, Romesh's Mum, Never Voted, Granny To Be, Pride of Wales, Comic Book Guy, and Green Fingers.

Series 2

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Series two included 25 members from the public: Romesh's mum, Craft Beard, Privileged, You're History, Never Voted, Lord Dave, Small Town Girl, Pride of Wales, Ex Banker, Mani-Pedi, Vlogger, Glam Gran, Wheeler Dealer, Technophobe, Metalhead, Old Bill, Green Fingers, Gen Z, Football Mad, Watch Your Language, Wine Buff, The Dogfather, Oxbridge, The Skipper, and Comic Book Guy.

Series 3

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The third series included 20 members from the public including Romesh's mum, Old Bill, The Dogfather, You're History, Never Voted, Lord Dave, Small Town Girl, Ex Banker, Pride of Wales, Oxbridge, Country Life (New Member), Vlogger, Wheeler Dealer, Technophobe, Gen Z, Picture This, Football Mad, Watch Your Language, The Skipper, Comic Book Guy, Metalhead, Glam Gran, and Folk Hero.

The display screen also changed to show the current speaker in the centre with the other people appearing around them. The central talking member still appears in the smaller windows around them.

Series 4

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The Ranganation series 4 has included 22 members from the public including Romesh's mum, Vlogger, You're History, The Dogfather, Never Voted, Lord Dave, Small Town Girl, Pride of Wales, Folk Hero, Technophobe, Wheeler Dealer, Country Life, Renaissance Man, Oxbridge, Chippy Tea, Ex Banker, Glam Gran, Football Mad, Metalhead, Watch Your Language, Comic Book Guy, Flying Circus, and Gen Z.

Notes

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  1. ^ Not reported in the weekly top 15 programmes for BBC Two

References

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  1. ^ Richardson, Jay (18 May 2018). "Romesh Ranganathan pilots topical BBC Two panel show". Chortle. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Romesh Ranganathan to host new BBC panel show pilot". British Comedy Guide. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  3. ^ "The Ranganation ordered by BBC Two". British Comedy Guide. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  4. ^ "'I pretend I consider the public equals...'". Chortle. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  5. ^ a b "There's going to be a blank square where my mum should be..." Chortle. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. ^ "The Ranganation". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. ^ "The Ranganation is back - from Romesh's garage". Chortle. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Romesh Ranganathan back with new series of topical comedy show The Ranganation". The Irish News. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  9. ^ "The Ranganation set to return to BBC Two and BBC iPlayer for third series". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  10. ^ "BAFTA TV 2020: Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". www.bafta.org. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Winners of the RTS Programme Awards 2021 announced". Royal Television Society. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  12. ^ Guide, British Comedy (27 May 2021). "Friday Night Dinner wins at Broadcast Awards 2021". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  13. ^ "BAFTA TV 2021: Nominations and Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". www.bafta.org. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Weekly top 10 programmes BARB". www.barb.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  15. ^ "The Ranganation". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  16. ^ "The Ranganation". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  17. ^ "The Ranganation". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  18. ^ Do you wash your legs in the shower? | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
  19. ^ Should plastic straws be banned? | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
  20. ^ Should homework be banned? | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
  21. ^ Do you believe in UFOs? | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
  22. ^ The staggering number of UK adults sleeping with a soft toy 🤯 | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
  23. ^ Trying to answer stupid job interview questions | The Ranganation - BBC, retrieved 11 August 2019
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