Television personality and best-selling author Richard Osman has expressed his delight after being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). The honour, announced in the New Year Honours list, recognises his significant services to literature and broadcasting.
From Screen to Page: A Multi-Faceted Career
The 55-year-old, born in Billericay, Essex, is best known to millions as the former co-host of the BBC One quiz show Pointless, a role he held for 13 years before stepping down in 2022 to concentrate on writing. However, his career in television began long before he appeared on screen. After studying Politics and Sociology at the University of Cambridge, Osman became Creative Director at Endemol UK, where he worked on programmes like Deal Or No Deal and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
He spent two decades at the production company before leaving in 2020. His creative influence extended to producing and script editing shows such as Total Wipeout and even writing and producing the Channel 4 comedy series Boyz Unlimited, which featured a young James Corden.
The Literary Phenomenon and Personal Journey
Osman's move into authorship proved to be a spectacular success. In 2020, he published The Thursday Murder Club, the first in a series of cosy crime novels featuring a group of elderly friends solving crimes. The book series has become a global publishing phenomenon, with the film adaptation released on Netflix earlier this year starring Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. His fifth novel in the series, The Impossible Fortune, was published this year.
Beyond his professional achievements, Osman has been candid about his personal struggles, speaking openly on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs about his lifelong challenges with food addiction. He described it as a "difficult journey" but one where he finds greater happiness through openness.
A Continuing Presence in Entertainment
Despite his literary focus, Osman remains a fixture on British television and media. He continues to host the popular BBC Two quiz Richard Osman's House of Games and, since 2023, co-hosts the successful podcast The Rest Is Entertainment with journalist Marina Hyde. In his personal life, he is married to actress Ingrid Oliver, who appeared in The Thursday Murder Club film, and has two children from a previous marriage.
The award of an OBE caps a remarkable career transition for Osman, who has successfully evolved from a behind-the-scenes TV executive and beloved game show host to one of the UK's most successful authors, all while maintaining his distinctive and warm public persona.
