Actress Erin Doherty has shared a surprising and amusing connection from her school days, revealing that comedian Romesh Ranganathan was once her head of sixth form.
From Maths Teacher to Comedy Star
The 33-year-old star of Netflix's Adolescence, who is currently promoting the second season of Disney+'s A Thousand Blows, disclosed the link in a recent interview with Sky News. She explained that before finding fame, Romesh Ranganathan worked as a maths teacher at Hazelwick School in Three Bridges, Crawley.
Erin confirmed that Romesh was her head of year during her sixth form studies, though she never had him as a maths teacher herself. Her sister, however, was taught by the future comedy star.
A Stern Meeting with 'Mr Ranganathan'
The connection took a more memorable turn when a teenage Erin found herself in trouble. She was removed from her English Literature class for failing to read the required books. This led to a formal meeting being called.
"They pulled me, and I think it was my dad, in," Erin recounted. "So we had a chat with Romesh Ranganathan when he was just Mr Ranganathan." She described the incident as her "little weird crossing of paths" with the now-famous comedian.
When asked if the pair have reconnected since both achieving celebrity status, Erin expressed a desire to meet him, replying, "No and I want to! But yeah it's kind of cool."
Hazelwick School's Notable Alumni
Erin and Romesh are not the only well-known figures to have passed through the halls of Hazelwick School. The Crawley institution boasts an impressive list of former students, including:
- Former England football manager Gareth Southgate.
- Broadcaster and news presenter Dan Walker.
- The X Factor contestant Chico.
This school story emerged as Erin enjoys significant professional success. She recently won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Adolescence, which itself won four awards including Best Limited Series.
Following her win, an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! saw her recount how her mother gave her a stern telling-off for swearing during her Emmys acceptance speech. "My mum just butts her head in and it's like 'can I just interrupt? I could have done without swearing,'" Erin laughed, noting her mother prioritised the reprimand over any congratulations.
