Former This Morning star Dr Ranj Singh has explained his decision to pursue a career in theatre.
The TV personality will be making his musical theatre debut in the national tour of & Juliet, where he'll play the role of Lance Du Bois.
Created by Schitt's Creek writer David West Read, the production puts a spin on the tale of the classic Shakespeare character by exploring what would have happened if Juliet hadn't died with Romeo.
Speaking to Pink News, Dr Ranj opened up about his "dream" to tread the boards, which was ignited at the age of six after he came second in a regional singing contest.
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"At the end of 2023, start of 2024, I had a bit of a pivotal moment. I'm in my mid-40s now, and I thought: 'I need a new challenge'," he explained.
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"Clinically, I'd reached where I wanted to get to in terms of my medical career. I was like, my next big challenge is musical theatre. That's always been there in the background... I also need to chase more joy."
The doctor went on to explain that the show's diverse cast was "very validating" as a new performer, adding that they have become his "chosen family".
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On having to prove himself "over and over again" in his new venture, Dr Ranj continued: "Even from within the theatre community, people have been a bit like: 'Hang on a second, this is supposed to be a place for us'. I'd say there's a place for everyone.
"Not everyone has the same experience, not everyone is privileged enough to have gone to theatre school. Everyone's going a different pathway.
"Not only did I do regular rehearsals with everybody else, I did extra classes because I needed to get myself up to speed and try to keep up with everybody. I put in so much work, and I'm hoping it's paid off."
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Dr Ranj said he hopes to be able to take on more theatre roles in the future, but didn't rule out a return to TV and medicine. He even shared a pitch for his next project, which could see him putting pen to paper.
"I'd love to do something that centres around a South Asian story or experience, particularly the queer one," he said. "We don't see enough of that. Maybe I'll write one, like a Bolly Elliot."
The UK and Ireland tour of & Juliet opened at the Manchester Opera House on July 8. Dr Ranj will star in the tour until October 12, ending his run in Wolverhampton.
The cast also includes Matt Cardle as Shakespeare, Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Lara Denning as Anne, Sandra Marvin as Angelique, Jack Danson as Romeo, Kyle Cox as Francois and Jordan Broatch as May.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX. Tickets for the UK tour of & Juliet are available here.
Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
