Richard Osman has spoken openly about living with nystagmus, an incurable condition that causes constant involuntary eye movement and blurs his vision, severely restricting his eyesight since birth. The Pointless host and author of The Thursday Murder Club joked that his condition could technically qualify him for the Paralympics: “I could be a Paralympian,” he says, “if I had any sporting ability.”
Early life and career shaped by condition
Osman's mother Brenda encouraged him to believe he could do whatever he chose in life, although his early ambition to join the police force was quietly discouraged. She allowed him to sit extra-close to the television as a child, understanding that this would enable him to see detail he would otherwise miss. That relationship with TV shaped his career: he produced shows including Prize Island for ITV and Deal or No Deal for Channel 4 before stepping in front of the camera for another of his creations, BBC's Pointless.
His condition has also made it impossible for him to drive a car, although his 6’7” frame might have made fitting into a Ford Fiesta difficult anyway.
Challenges on screen and a 'useful skill'
Osman told The Times's Robert Crampton that the characters in his books are often outsiders, because he sees himself as one too: “I have always had empathy with people who are different. There’s always some p***k letting you know. I’ve had it my whole life.”
Even on TV, his vision causes a constant struggle. After his first appearance on Have I Got News For You, some viewers mistakenly believed he might have been drunk because of the way his eyes constantly flicked back and forth. Unable to read an autocue, he learned his script by heart: “I also find looking directly at the camera pretty difficult,” he told disability access charity Level Playing Field. “Staring at a fixed point when your eyes are constantly moving can make you feel nauseous and you want to look away,” he added. “I prefer my head and body to be off-centre, like in Pointless.”
His poor eyesight has, paradoxically, proven to be a superpower in his TV career: “When I am editing a TV programme, there is no point asking me about a certain camera angle or the lighting. I can’t really see it,” he said. “I want to talk about the feel of the show.” He went on: “I’ve found that while everyone else is thinking about what the set looks like, I am thinking hold on, that joke did not work or that relationship between those two people is not where it should be, and that is all I am focusing on, which is a useful skill.”
Family concern over hereditary risk
Some forms of nystagmus can be hereditary, which was a source of momentary concern when Osman became a dad. “Nystagmus was never brought up in terms of what you can and cannot do,” he said. “My mum never, ever made a big deal of it. It was only when I first had kids, when I had a daughter 15 years ago, that I remember my mum saying, after all the excitement had died down, ‘Have you noticed anything about her eyes?’ I said, 'No. Nothing at all,' and there was this look of relief on her face. I thought, you’ve been keeping that bottled up for 27 years and you’ve never told me you thought it was a big deal.”
