Actress Erin Doherty has revealed a surprising pre-fame connection to one of Britain's best-loved comedians, Romesh Ranganathan, involving a school disciplinary meeting.
From Crawley Classrooms to Global Fame
The 33-year-old star, acclaimed for her roles in Netflix's Adolescence and The Crown, disclosed that the Weakest Link presenter was once her Head of Sixth Form. Both grew up in Crawley, West Sussex, and were associated with Hazelwick School, where Ranganathan taught maths.
Doherty, currently promoting the second season of Disney+'s A Thousand Blows, recounted the incident to Sky News. She was summoned to a meeting with "Mr Ranganathan" after being removed from her English Literature class for not reading the set books.
A Memorable Meeting with Mr Ranganathan
"You know the comedian Romesh Ranganathan? He was my head of year. How cool is that?" Doherty said. "Basically I got kicked off of English lit... and they pulled me, and I think it was my dad, in. So we had a chat with Romesh Ranganathan when he was just Mr Ranganathan."
She described the encounter as her "little weird crossing of paths" with the now-famous comic, who is 47. Doherty confirmed she has not met him since their school days but expressed a keen desire to reconnect, stating, "No and I want to! But yeah it's kind of cool."
Shining Stars from a Comprehensive School
Hazelwick School boasts several notable alumni, including England manager Gareth Southgate, broadcaster Dan Walker, and singer Chico. However, Doherty's star continues to rise prominently on both sides of the Atlantic.
Her performance as gang leader Mary Carr in the period boxing drama A Thousand Blows has drawn recent praise. Next, she is set to appear in the BBC's six-part series California Avenue alongside Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter, a story described as brimming with humour and love.
Meanwhile, Ranganathan's teaching career, which included posts at his alma mater Hazelwick and The Beacon School in Banstead, paved the way for his successful transition into comedy and television.
