Earlier in his career he was a finalist in So You Think You're Funny 2010 and winner of Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year 2013.
31 stores co-owned by the comic to close
The bakery chain co-owned by Romesh Ranganathan has gone into liquidation.
The comedian says he is ‘gutted’ that 89-year-old Coughlans Bakery – which runs 31 stores across South East England - has been forced to close.
He became a co-owner in 2024, describing it as ‘the partnership of the century.’
But managing director Sean Coughlan has now announced the company’s closure, blaming Rachel Reeves’s decision to increase national insurance contributions for employers, high business rates, which ‘absolutely smashed local business’, and a hike in fuel prices. He said the combined pressures amounted to an extra £20,000 a week in costs for the company.
Ranganathan reposted Coughlan's video announcing the news to his 1.4 million followers on Instagram with the caption: ‘Gutted isn't the word.’
In the video, Coughlan said: ‘Romesh has been amazing, I want to thank him so much. I feel like we've absolutely let him down. Everything he's done, it's been from the heart.
‘He's devastated. None of us saw this coming. We were looking forward to working together. We had so much fun.
‘There's not a day working with Rom we haven't had a great time, and he's really included himself into our family.’
He said recent heatwaves had been the ‘nail in the coffin’ because ‘no one really seems to come out… We literally take about 50 per cent of what we would normally take in a normal week, with our outgoings still exactly the same, which is absolutely heartbreaking.'
In response, Ranganathan posted: 'You’ve not let me down mate! Much love.'
The bakery chain first opened in 1937 and in December 2024, Ranganathan convinced bosses to open in his home town of Crawley.
Last year, the comic was pictured working behind the counter to launch a vegan treat he designed, the Ranga Yum Yum.
The last set of accounts filed at Companies House showed that Coughlans Bakery last year made a £94,000 pre-tax loss on sales of £6.7million.
Published: 1 Jul 2026
Sky confirms a fifth series of Rob & Romesh Vs
Rob & Romesh is to return for fifth series, broadcaster…
31/01/2023
Romesh Ranganathan pilots new entertainment show
Romesh Ranganathan is piloting another new entertainment…
15/11/2022
'It's the Fyre Festival of comedy specials'
Romesh Ranganathan has filmed a comedy documentary…
8/11/2022
Comics to delve into their DNA past
Joel Dommett, Tom Allen, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan…
3/08/2022
BBC orders more Weakest Links with Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan is to present another series of…
16/06/2022
'It's based on my conflict-avoidant beta maledom'
In his new BBC sitcom Avoidance, Romesh Ranganathan…
31/05/2022
Romesh Ranganathan to tape a new stand-up special
Romesh Ranganathan is to record his latest tour, The…
20/05/2022
Romesh Ranganathan and Katherine Ryan in new 'Rom'com
Katherine Ryan and Romesh Ranganathan are to star in…
17/05/2022
Rob Beckett is to become a regular Radio 2 host.
The…
1/02/2022
New BBC sitcom for Romesh Ranganathan
Romesh Ranganathan is to write and star in a new BBC…
17/01/2022
Racist hecklers abuse Romesh Ranganathan
A woman has been thrown out of a Romesh Ranganathan…
8/01/2022
'I'm going to do The Weakest Link my own way...'
The Weakest Link returns to TV this month after a nine-year…
4/12/2021
Book (2023)
Lil' Muffin Drops The Mic by Romesh Ranganathan
DVD (2016)
Romesh Ranganathan: Irrational
We do not currently hold contact details for Romesh Ranganathan's agent. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear here, for a one-off fee of £59, email steve@chortle.co.uk.
We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable.