Ranj Singh

{{Infobox person

| name = Ranj Singh

| image = Ranj Singh for AstraZeneca UK.jpg

| caption = Singh in an AstraZeneca flu vaccine video in 2021

| birth_name = Ranjit Singh Sangha

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|06|26}}

| birth_place = Medway, Kent, England

| citizenship =

| occupation = Doctor, television presenter

| years_active =

| employer = ITV
NHS

| partner = James Colebrook (2024-Present)

| parents =

}}

Ranjit "Ranj" Singh Sangha (born 26 June 1979){{cite web|url=http://mumazine.com/article/2014/04/28/dr-ranjs-top-ten-questions-and-answers|title=Dr Ranj's Top Ten Questions And Answers|website=mumazine.com|date=6 June 2016|accessdate=7 November 2018|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409214610/http://mumazine.com/article/2014/04/28/dr-ranjs-top-ten-questions-and-answers|archive-date=9 April 2019}}{{cite tweet|user=thismorning|number=1011627470305550337|title=After we caught you dressed like this in the studio, we're imagining you're going to have a good night!|date=26 June 2018}} is a British doctor, television presenter, author and columnist. He is best known as a celebrity dancer on the BBC One dance series Strictly Come Dancing, and co-creating and presenting the CBeebies show Get Well Soon from 2012 to 2015. He has also worked for ITV, on This Morning, as a resident doctor from 2016 to 2021, co-hosting Save Money: Good Health with Sian Williams{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-feature/1354525/dr-ranj-singh-wife-gay-this-morning-doctor-family-revealed-career|title=Dr Ranj real life uncovered away from ITV's This Morning|first=Megan|last=Nisbet|date=29 July 2018|work=OK! magazine}} and winning Cooking with the Stars in 2022.

Career

Singh is an NHS clinician, having trained in London and worked in several hospitals as a specialist in paediatric emergency medicine.{{cite web |last1=The Guardian |title=Confessions from A&E: Peppa Pig, the unsung hero of paediatric medicine - video |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/video/2018/jul/04/confessions-from-ae-peppa-pig-the-unsung-hero-of-paediatric-medicine-video |website=The Guardian |accessdate=12 April 2020 |date=4 July 2018}} Singh became a member of The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2007.

His television career began in 2012, having become the presenter for Get Well Soon, a children's television show airing on CBeebies, which he co-created with Kindle Entertainment.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/get-well-soon|title=Get Well Soon|work=CBeebies|accessdate=7 November 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/get-well-soon.html|title=Dr Ranj Singh talks about his new CBeebies show, Get Well Soon|work=BBC Media Centre|date=7 September 2012|accessdate=7 November 2018}} In 2016, the show received a children's BAFTA award in the Interactive - Adapted category.

Singh has become a prominent contributor to factual programming and documentaries, appearing on This Morning as a resident doctor and on 20 July 2018, he was a guest presenter on the show, alongside Vanessa Feltz.{{cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/991843/ITV-This-Morning-Vanessa-Feltz-shocked-Dr-Ranj-Singh-presenter-first-show-Ruth-Langsford|title=Vanessa Feltz STUNNED at Dr Ranj outburst as she admits fears for show|first=Roxanne|last=Hughes|work=Daily Express|date=20 July 2018}} He has also contributed to a range of other programmes such as Inside Out, 5 News and Good Morning Britain. Ranj also appears regularly on various quiz shows and celebrity specials{{cite web |last1=IMDb |title=Ranj Singh |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5442964/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 |website=IMDb |accessdate=12 April 2020}} and in 2017, he won BBC's Pointless Celebrities, alongside Hilary Jones.

In August 2018, it was announced that Singh would be a contestant on the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing.{{cite news|title=Dr Ranj Singh is the seventh celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2018|work=BBC Media Centre |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/strictly-singh |accessdate=30 August 2018|date=16 August 2018}} He was partnered with Janette Manrara and was the sixth contestant to be eliminated.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/6c78b1a8-460a-461d-b90e-30384e166921|work=BBC Blogs|title=Dr Ranj Singh becomes the sixth celebrity to leave Strictly|date=4 November 2018|accessdate=7 November 2018}} Following his stint on Strictly, Singh became host of his own medical advice show called 'Dr Ranj:ON Call' which began airing on ITV in March 2020.{{cite web |last1=Molina-White |first1=Lidia |title=Dr Ranj: On Call – Everything you need to know |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-03-03/dr-ranj-on-call-air-date-time-host/ |website=Radio Times |accessdate=13 April 2020 |language=en}}

Outside of his work on Television, Singh has become the author of two children's educational books: Food Fuel{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Ranj|last2=Semple|first2=David (illustrator)|title=Food Fuel|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0198306429|date=26 March 2015}} and Skelebones,{{Cite book|title=Skelebones|last1=Singh|first1=Ranj|last2=Semple|first2=David (illustrator)|isbn=978-0198306467|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=26 March 2015}} a Sunday Times bestselling cookbook{{cite web |last1=Penguin Books |title=Save Money Lose Weight by Dr. Ranj Singh |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/617840/save-money-lose-weight-by-dr-ranj-singh/9781787632486 |website=Penguin Random House Canada |accessdate=13 April 2020 |language=English}} and is a contributor and columnist for Al Jazeera, Attitude magazine and NetDoctor.{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Ranj |title=Dr Ranj Singh |url=https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/author/14115/dr-ranj-singh/ |website=NetDoctor |publisher=Hearst UK |accessdate=12 April 2020}}

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Singh stepped back from his media work to focus on supporting the NHS in his role as a paediatric emergency medicine specialist.{{cite web |last1=Harvey-Jenner |first1=Catriona |title=Famous faces who have stepped up to work during the coronavirus crisis |url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/famous-faces-stepped-during-coronavirus-152600937.html |website=nz.news.yahoo.com |accessdate=12 April 2020 |language=en-NZ}} During the crisis, Ranj regularly used his platform to debunk the rise in misleading information confusing parents and the general public,{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Dr Ranj |title=Doctor's Note: Coronavirus myths and misconceptions |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/doctors-note-coronavirus-myths-misconceptions-200329125930317.html |website=www.aljazeera.com}} with concern that many are being 'duped' by rumours with even celebrities sharing 'fake' information.{{cite web |last1=Hodge |first1=Lisa |title=TV Doctor warns parents not to be 'duped' over virus child separation fears |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/family-kids/tv-doctor-warns-parents-not-21806372 |website=dailyrecord |accessdate=12 April 2020 |date=3 April 2020}}

Ranj was one of the four competitors who took part in the Christmas special edition of The Great British Sewing Bee that was transmitted on Boxing Day 2020 on BBC One. His fellow competitors in the programme were Denise Van Outen, Shirley Ballas and Sara Pascoe.

In April 2021, Singh announced he would be appearing in his own West End musical for a new one-off show called Scrubs to Sparkles,{{Cite web|last=Tutton|first=Charlotte|date=2021-04-15|title=This Morning's Dr Ranj Singh teams up with The Chase's Jenny Ryan for new show|url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/tv/mornings-dr-ranj-singh-teams-23918470|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Irish Mirror|language=en}} following his vocal performances on television show All Star Musicals in March 2021.{{Cite web|last=Tutton|first=Charlotte|date=2021-03-21|title=All Star Musicals fans 'speechless' over Dr Ranj's 'unexpected' singing talent|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/star-musicals-viewers-speechless-over-23769586|access-date=2021-04-29|website=mirror|language=en}}

From August to November 2021, Singh hosted the TV series Extreme Food Phobics, in which applicants would come to cure their food phobias.

In December 2021, Singh appeared as a contestant on a Strictly Come Dancing Special that was also the first episode of the revival series of the BBC game show The Weakest Link hosted by Romesh Ranganathan.

In December 2023, Singh opened up about his poor mental health whilst working for This Morning. He claimed the show's 'culture' was to blame.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-15 |title=Dr Ranj: This Morning was bad for mental health |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67704005 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

From July 2024, Singh has appeared as Lance in the UK tour of & Juliet.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-14 |title=& Juliet announces complete casting for UK and Ireland tour, including Ranj Singh |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/juliet-announces-complete-casting-for-uk-and-ireland-tour-including-ranj-singh_1599822/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=WhatsOnStage |language=en-GB}}{{cite web |title=&Juliet |url=https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/and-juliet/opera-house-manchester/ |website=ATG |access-date=2 November 2024}}

Personal life

Ranj has two brothers, Harminderjit and Jaskaranjit. He grew up in an Indian traditionally Sikh household and focused on schoolwork, gaining his first GCSE at just eight years old.{{cite web |last1=BBC |title=BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Dr Ranj Singh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4GWSYlpdgNj7RzyYSbkJ6Sb/dr-ranj-singh |website=BBC |accessdate=12 April 2020}}{{cite tweet|title=I have a complex relationship with my Indian farming heritage ...|number=1356700804057600006|user=DrRanj|date=2 February 2021}}

Singh married Sulvinder Samra, a pharmacist, at a traditional Sikh ceremony in Nottingham in 2005, and divorced in 2011.{{Cite web|last=Adejobi|first=Alicia|date=2018-11-30|title=Dr Ranj responds to ex father-in law about him coming out as gay|url=https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/30/dr-ranj-responds-to-ex-father-in-law-and-admits-ending-marriage-and-coming-out-as-gay-was-heartbreaking-8195661/|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Metro|language=en}} Singh came out as gay at the age of 30 in 2009 to his wife.{{Cite web|date=2018-11-05|title=Strictly's Dr. Ranj Singh: 'Coming out as gay to my wife was hard, but telling my family was another level'|url=http://attitude.co.uk/article/strictlys-dr-ranj-singh-coming-out-as-gay-to-my-wife-was-hard-but-telling-my-family-was-another-level-1/10919/|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Attitude.co.uk|language=en}}

He has discussed his sexuality in an interview for Attitude magazine in 2015 and in 2018 fronted the cover of Gay Times magazine as part of a special 'gaysian' celebration of LGBTQ Asians.{{cite web |last1=Connolly |first1=William J |title=Dr Ranj Singh Gaysians cover interview: "As queer Asians, we have so much to offer ourselves and to the wider world" |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/originals/115425/dr-ranj-singh-gaysians-cover-interview-as-queer-asians-we-have-so-much-to-offer-ourselves-and-to-the-wider-world/ |website=Gay Times |date=20 November 2018}}

Ranj has been an advocate for LGBTQ rights, especially among minorities, and won the Attitude TV Award in 2019 where he spoke about how "People from ethnic minorities, people of colour, or LGBT people are still at a slight disadvantage" in the media.{{cite web |last1=Attitude |title=Attitude TV Award: Dr Ranj Singh |url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/article/attitude-tv-award-dr-ranj-singh-1/21978/ |website=Attitude.co.uk |accessdate=12 April 2020 |language=en |date=9 October 2019 |archive-date=12 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412052402/https://www.attitude.co.uk/article/attitude-tv-award-dr-ranj-singh-1/21978/ |url-status=dead }} He is an advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusive education.{{Cite web|last=Wareham|first=Jamie|title=Dr Ranj's Personal Reason For Supporting LGBT Inclusive Education|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiewareham/2020/02/22/dr-ranj-lgbt-inclusive-sex-relationship-education/|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Forbes|language=en}}

Filmography

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Network ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2022	Olivier Awards	Guest Presenter
2021	Extreme Food Phobics	Himself	W Channel (10 episodes)
2021	The Weakest Link: Strictly Come Dancing Special	Himself (Contestant)	BBC One (1 episode)
2016–2021	This Morning	Himself	ITV	Resident Doctor (57 episodes)
2022	Richard Osman's House of Games	Himself	BBC Two
2020	Dr Ranj:On Call	Himself	ITV	(4 episodes)
2020	Sport Relief	Himself	BBC One	Special
2019–present	Lorraine (TV programme)\|Lorraine	Himself	ITV	(2 episodes)
2019-20	Would I Lie to You?	Himself	BBC One	(3 episodes)
2020	Celebrity Mastermind	Himself	BBC One	Episode 6
2020	Celebrity Catchphrase	Himself	ITV	Christmas Special
2020	Celebrity Chase	Himself	ITV	Contestant (1 Episode)
2019	Celebrity Antiques Road Trip	Himself	BBC One	1 Episode
2018	Strictly Come Dancing	Himself	BBC One	Contestant (Eliminated Week 7)
2019	The Ranganation	Himself	BBC Two	1 Episode
2017-18	Loose Women	Himself	ITV	6 Episodes
2018-21	Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two	Himself	BBC Two	12 Episodes
2018	Saturday Mash-Up!	Himself	BBC Two & CBBC	1 Episode
2018	The One Show	Himself	BBC One	1 Episode
2017	Celebrity Eggheads	Himself	BBC Two	1 Episode
2012-15	Get Well Soon Hospital	Dr Ranj	CBeebies	15 Episodes
2016	Inside Out	Himself	BBC One	BBC West Midlands, Brexit Special
2012-15	Get Well Soon	Himself	CBeebies	13 Episodes
2015	The Wright Stuff	Himself	Channel 5	1 Episode
2020	The Great British Sewing Bee	Himself	BBC One	Christmas Special
2013	This Week	Himself	BBC One	1 Episode

Theatre credits

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year

! Production

! Role

! Theatre

2024-25

|& Juliet

|Lance

|National tour

Bibliography

=Non-fiction=

Save Money Lose Weight : London: Transworld Publishers: 2019: {{ISBN|9781473570726}}

= Children's Non-fiction =

Food Fuel, Level 9 Illustrated by David Semple : London: Oxford University Press: 2015: {{ISBN|9780198306429}}
Skelebones, Level 10 Illustrated by David Semple : London: Oxford University Press: 2015: {{ISBN|9780198306467}}
How To Grow Up Shah Rukh Khan: The No Worries Guide For BOYS: Illustrated by David O' Connell : London: Hachette Children's Group: 2021: {{ISBN|9781526362957}}

Awards

class= wikitable sortable
Year ! Award ! Category ! Result
2019 \| Attitude Awards \| Shah Rukh Khan \| {{won}}
2018 \| British Academy Children's Awards \| Pre-School Live Action - Get Well Soon Hospital \| {{won}}
2016 \| British Academy Children's Awards \| Interactive: Adapted - Get Well Soon Hospital App \| {{won}}

class= wikitable sortable

Year

! Award

! Category

! Result

2019

| Attitude Awards

| Shah Rukh Khan

| {{won}}

2018

| British Academy Children's Awards

| Pre-School Live Action - Get Well Soon Hospital