James Acaster and Romesh Ranganathan have a long history beyond Celebrity Traitors ‘feud’

James Acaster and Romesh Ranganathan have been mates for years, long before they ended up on Celebrity Traitors. With reports now claiming James complained about being teased by some of his fellow comedians on the BBC show, their friendship has come back into the spotlight.

Via BBC

James is currently competing on Celebrity Traitors alongside several familiar faces from the comedy world, including Rob Beckett and Romesh. However, an insider reportedly told The Sun that James had complained to producers about being “teased and mocked” by the pair, allegedly feeling that some of their jokes were “going too far”.

Representatives for Rob and Romesh have strongly denied the claims. Speaking to The Independent, they said: “These claims are completely untrue and couldn’t be further from the truth”.

Away from the castle, though, James and Romesh have a long-standing friendship that goes well beyond appearing on the same TV shows. The pair have featured on each other’s podcasts and have spoken openly about their relationship, including the personal struggles they’ve experienced throughout their comedy careers.

Via BBC

James and Romesh first crossed paths in the mid-to-late 2000s, when they were both trying to make a name for themselves on the UK stand-up circuit. They performed at the same local and pub comedy nights around London, including in Soho, long before either became a familiar face on television.

Since then, their friendship has continued away from the stage. They’ve appeared on each other’s podcasts, and James even joined Romesh for a chat on his BBC Radio 2 show last year.

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During an appearance on Romesh’s podcast The Romesh Ranganathan Show, the pair spoke about how much they keep in touch outside of their professional lives. They described each other as good mates, revealing that they text regularly and support one another beyond their work in comedy.

Via YouTube

One particularly personal conversation between the comedians saw them open up about mental health and the difficulties that can come with working in comedy.

Romesh reflected on the fact that it’s something the pair have discussed with each other over the years, saying: “You’re, you and I have that in common that I guess we’ve talked about mental health a lot. As we talk about it more, you become aware.”

Romesh also made it clear how much he values James, combining his admiration for his comedy with the affection he has for him as a friend.

“It’s genuinely it’s an honour to have you on the show. You’re a mate and I’m a fan.”

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Featured image credit: YouTube