Rob and Romesh Vs… is a British light entertainment comedy television series made for Sky Television in which comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan meet people from the worlds of sport and entertainment. The show was first broadcast on Sky One (now Sky Max) in January 2019 following a one-off special in April 2017 titled Anthony Joshua vs Rob & Romesh in which pair met the heavyweight boxer ahead of his world title fight with Wladimir Klitschko.[1] Guests have included the England national football team,[2] Andy Murray,[3] and Usain Bolt.[4] The Guardian described the show as “comedic guinea pigs Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan continue to try their hands at learning new skills, coached by professionals”.[5]
| Rob & Romesh Vs | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy Entertainment Sports |
| Presented by | Romesh Ranganathan Rob Beckett |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 29 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 mins |
| Production company | CPL Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | |
| Release | 25 January 2019 – present |
Episodes
edit| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 6 | 25 January 2019 | 1 March 2019 | |
| 2 | 4 | 5 May 2020 | 26 May 2020 | |
| 3 | 7 | 4 February 2021 | 29 July 2021 | |
| Special | 19 December 2021 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 28 April 2022 | 19 May 2022 | |
| Specials | 2 | 16 November 2022 | 21 December 2022 | |
| 5 | 4 | 19 July 2023 | 9 August 2023 | |
| Special | 17 December 2023 | |||
| Specials | 2 | 15 February 2024 | 22 February 2024 | |
Series 1
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Usain Bolt" | Usain Bolt | 25 January 2019 | |
|
Comedian mates Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan head to Jamaica to meet sprint legend Usain Bolt - the fastest man ever to have lived. | |||||
| 2 | 2 | "The NFL" | Rick Lovato, Jay Ajayi | 1 February 2019 | |
|
Rob and Romesh meet and train with some of the NFL's biggest stars. Then, they get kitted up for a match in front of 80,000 people. | |||||
| 3 | 3 | "Fashion" | David Gandy, Gok Wan, Nicky Johnston, Max Rogers, Caroline Perino | 8 February 2019 | |
|
Rob and Romesh strut their stuff on the catwalk and meet male model David Gandy. Then, it's off to NYC to try and bag a gig on a real-life runway. | |||||
| 4 | 4 | "Superstar DJs" | Jonas Blue, Andy C, Chase & Status, DJ Yoda | 15 February 2019 | |
|
Rob and Romesh dance into the jet-setting, deck-spinning world of superstar DJs as they meet some of the world's greatest mixmasters. | |||||
| 5 | 5 | "Country Music" | Shania Twain, Meghan Linsey, Tyler Cain | 22 February 2019 | |
|
There's more laughs as mates Rob and Romesh meet up with Shania Twain, head to Nashville and perform their very own country song. | |||||
| 6 | 6 | "Anthony Joshua: Revisited" | Anthony Joshua, Michael Buffer, Tony Bellew, Adam Smith | 1 March 2019 | |
|
The boys meet heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, watch him in action and chat to his boxer mate Tony Bellew. | |||||
Series 2
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "Ballet" | Carlos Acosta, Marion Tait, Tyrone Singleton, Dominic Antonucci | 5 May 2020 | |
|
Best friends Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are back as they dive into the world of ballet, including roles in a real performance of Swan Lake. | |||||
| 8 | 2 | "NBA Basketball" | Salif Gueye, Nick Anson, Jan Žnidaršič, Nik Schwarzmann | 12 May 2020 | |
|
Rob and Romesh learn about basketball, a journey that takes them from the street courts of Los Angeles to the iconic Staples Center itself. | |||||
| 9 | 3 | "Cricket: South Africa" | Kevin Pietersen | 19 May 2020 | |
|
The guys go to South Africa to follow England's cricket team. There's commentary, a lesson with Kevin Pietersen - and even a safari. | |||||
| 10 | 4 | "Cricket: The Test" | Kevin Pietersen, Nasser Hussain, Darren Gough, Neil Manthorp, Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, Chris Millard, Matt Parkinson | 26 May 2020 | |
|
Part two of the tour for cricket newbies Rob and Romesh as they follow England's Test series. The match comes to a dramatic finale. | |||||
Series 3
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Art" | Lachlan Goudie, Quilla Constance, Robin George, Rob Pepper | 4 February 2021 | |
|
Rob and Romesh are back to dip their toes into the unknown, as the duo become budding artists tasked with creating an exhibition for the Saatchi Gallery. | |||||
| 12 | 2 | "Golf" | Marcus Armitage, Andrew 'Beef' Johnston, Justin Rose | 11 February 2021 | |
|
With a round at the iconic St Andrews and a lesson from Justin Rose as enticement, Rob tries to convince Romesh to share his love of golf. | |||||
| 13 | 3 | "Drag" | Alan Carr, The Vivienne, Baga Chipz, Michelle Visage, Dolly Trolley, Cara Melle | 18 February 2021 | |
|
With the help of the likes of Drag Race stars Michelle Visage and The Vivienne, Rob and Romesh dive into the world of drag performing. | |||||
| 14 | 4 | "Andy Murray" | Andy Murray, Jamie Delgado, Matt Little | 8 July 2021 | |
|
The comedy duo serve up a special with Sir Andy Murray, as he pushes them to the limit in a tennis session and takes them out road cycling. | |||||
| 15 | 5 | "Team GB: Part 1" | Mallory Franklin, Kimberley Woods, Sarah Davies, Emily Campbell, Maddie Hinch, Amy Tennant, Amy Costello, Sarah Evans, Sarah Jones, Hannah Martin, Chris Murray, Emily Muskett, Lizzie Neal, Sarah Robertson, Haroon Siraj, Anna Toman, Jennifer Tong, Laura Unsworth | 15 July 2021 | |
|
It's Olympic year, so Rob and Romesh try their hand at weightlifting, hockey and slalom canoe to see if they too could be part of Team GB. | |||||
| 16 | 6 | "Team GB: Part 2" | Max Whitlock, Denise Lewis, Taylor Campbell, Aaron Heading, Georgina Roberts | 22 July 2021 | |
|
Rob and Romesh continue their Olympic adventure as they try clay pigeon shooting, gymnastics and athletics, with help from special teachers. | |||||
| 17 | 7 | "Almost Everything" | N/A | 29 July 2021 | |
|
Highlights from across the series as Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan try their hand at everything from art to golf and tennis to drag performance. | |||||
Christmas Special 2021
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1 | "Christmas" | Martin Burton, Mattie Faint | 19 December 2021 | |
Series 4
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | "Strongman" | Eddie Hall, Magnús Ver Magnússon | 28 April 2022 | |
|
Rob and Romesh witness insane strength as they take on the world of Strongman, travelling to train with former champion Magnús Ver Magnússon. | |||||
| 20 | 2 | "West End Musicals" | Samantha Barks, Michael O'Donnell, Mark Roper, Thenjiwe Nofemele, Simone Manfredini, Francisco Lins, Jamie McGregor | 5 May 2022 | |
|
Rob and Romesh try to crack the world of musicals and land a role in a big-budget show. Can West End leading lady Samantha Barks pull some strings? | |||||
| 21 | 3 | "Restaurants: First Course" | Tom Kerridge, Matthew O'Connor, Tony Rodd, Becky Cummings, Robert Parks, Dan Scott, Anthony Peart | 12 May 2022 | |
|
Rob and Romesh learn all about the restaurant industry as they try to open their own restaurant. | |||||
| 22 | 4 | "Restaurants: Second Course" | DJ Yoda, Tom Kerridge, Becky Cummings, Angela Hartnett, Jay Rayner, Grace Dent | 19 May 2022 | |
|
Rob and Romesh's journey into the restaurant business continues with the boys opening London's very first Hip Hop Curry House. | |||||
2022 Specials
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "The Three Lions" | Mason Mount, Jude Bellingham, Gareth Southgate, Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker | 16 November 2022 | |
|
Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan meet the stars of the England football team before the World Cup, and hang out with Gareth Southgate. | |||||
| 24 | 2 | "Christmas on Ice" | Hannah Dolan Davies, Jackie Soames | 21 December 2022 | |
Series 5
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1 | "Magic in Vegas" | Penn and Teller, Jeff McBride, Nathan Santucci | 19 July 2023 | |
|
Rob and Romesh are invited by Penn & Teller to join Vegas's longest-running residency show and have just three days to pull their act together. | |||||
| 26 | 2 | "K-pop" | Cheri Yun, Differ Kim, Nara Kim, TRI.BE | 26 July 2023 | |
|
Rob and Romesh enter the world of the music phenomenon of K-Pop. They start their journey at a sold-out NCT Dream gig at Wembley Arena, then head to South Korea to learn about the genre. | |||||
| 27 | 3 | "Crufts" | Ashleigh Butler, Joe Lamont, Clare Balding, Lauren Phillips | 2 August 2023 | |
|
Rob and Romesh enter their pets in Crufts to see if their new best friends can learn a thing or two. Seven-time Crufts champion and Britain's Got Talent star Ashleigh Butler acts as their guide as they training their dogs and teach them the key principles of dog training ahead of competing in the agility tournament at the event. | |||||
| 28 | 4 | "Classical Music" | Jess Gillam, Maurizio Leoni, Matthew Lynch, Toby Spence, Simon Carrington | 9 August 2023 | |
|
Rob and Romesh are invited to join the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the final night of a year-long residency at the Royal Festival Hall. The comedians learn various roles in the orchestra - from conducting to opera - before they face their final challenge at the sold-out venue. | |||||
Christmas Special 2023
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 1 | "Lapland" | N/A | 17 December 2023 | |
|
Rob and Romesh head to Lapland for Christmas, where they try their luck at a range of festive-themed tasks featuring elves, reindeer, magic and Santa Claus to see if there's one activity that they have the Christmas spirit for. | |||||
2024 Specials
edit| No. overall | No. in series | Rob & Romesh Vs... | Guest(s) | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | "F1: Monaco - Part 1" | Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff, Damon Hill | 15 February 2024 | |
|
Rob and Romesh enter the world of Formula One, hanging out with the Mercedes team at the Monaco GP, where they meet drivers Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. They also spend time with team principal Toto Wolff, who puts them through their paces to see if they have what it takes to get a job on the team. | |||||
| 31 | 2 | "F1: Monaco - Part 2" | George Russell, Toto Wolff, Damon Hill | 22 February 2024 | |
|
Rob and Romesh hang out with team Mercedes at the Monaco GP. | |||||
Production
editThe show is produced by CPL Productions. Rob Beckett told the Royal Television Society that the original idea was to pair him and a non-boxing fan to meet Anthony Joshua and Romesh was chosen as his friend who knew nothing about boxing with the two having met and befriended on the UK comedy circuit. Ranganathan explained that the original idea was just to cover sports “but it soon became clear that if we immerse ourselves in any kind of world you’re always going to get something from it.” Beckett explained that they “commit to it. We don’t just fake it for telly. We’re not going through the motions.”[6]
Accolades
editThe show was nominated in the Entertainment Performance category at the 2021 Royal Television Society Programme Awards.[7] The show was also nominated for best comedy entertainment series at the 2022 National Comedy Awards. The show won the Best Comedy Entertainment category at the 2024 Royal Television Society Programme Awards,[8] with Rob and Romesh nominated for Best Comedy Performance category.[9] In March 2024, the series was nominated for Comedy entertainment programme and Beckett and Ranganathan were nominated in the Entertainment performance category at the 2024 British Academy Television Awards.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Anthony Joshua vs Rob & Romesh". IMDb.
- ^ "Rob And Romesh Vs". Comedy.co.uk.
- ^ "Rob And Romesh Vs". Comedy.co.uk.
- ^ "Rob And Romesh Vs". Comedy.co.uk.
- ^ "TV tonight: jolly hockey sticks as Rob and Romesh head for goal". The Guardian.
- ^ "Rob and Romesh Vs: A pandemic pick-me-up". RTS.org.
- ^ "RTS Programme Awards 2021". RTS.org.uk.
- ^ Szalai, Giorg (26 March 2024). "Hannah Waddingham, 'Happy Valley,' Bella Ramsey Among Winners of Royal Television Society Awards". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ "RTS PROGRAMME AWARDS 2024". RTS.org.uk. 7 March 2024.
- ^ Richardson, Hollie (20 March 2024). "Bafta TV awards 2024 nominations: full list". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2024.