Richard Osman — things you didn't know about the 'Pointless' star
Richard Osman has become hugely famous co-hosting BBC teatime favourite Pointless with Alexander Armstrong.
The 50-year-old star's other TV credits include Richard Osman's House of Games, Taskmaster, Not Going Out, and Two Tribes. But what about the man himself?
Most fans of the presenter will know that:
- Richard doesn't just present Pointless, he created it!
- Richard has guest-hosted Have I Got News For You and The One Show
- He has previously been awarded Heat Magazine's Weirdest Crush Award
Richard Osman: little known facts about the Pointless star...
1. Richard Osman has a very famous pop star brother!
Richard’s older brother is musician Mat Osman, who is the bass guitarist in the hit indie band Suede. Richard once recalled that as a teenager he’d hear Mat and Suede singer Brett Anderson recording demos upstairs at home. “I really have always been a fan,” Richard told The Douglas Anderson Show. He added: “And then it really broke for them very, very big in the early 90s and it was amazing.”
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2. Richard Osman has a big crush!
Richard once revealed that he has a gigantic crush on Kim Wilde. “Kim Wilde is probably still my ideal woman and she still looks amazing,” he once told The Mirror. “I’d say I’ve fancied her non-stop for maybe 33 years now. Kim is married though – don’t think for one second I haven’t checked that. That’s the beauty of the internet.”
3. Richard has penned a massive hit crime novel… and Steven Spielberg has the movie rights!
Richard, who has two children, has written his debut novel, a crime story called The Thursday Murder Club. Set in a luxury retirement village in Kent, the story follows four retirees who meet up to solve cold cases but then get embroiled in a present-day murder case. Amazingly, none other than legendary director Steven Spielberg has picked up the movie rights for Richard’s novel. Meanwhile, Richard has been busy penning a follow-up, The Thursday Murder Club 2, which will be published in September 2021.
4. Richard never appeared on TV before Pointless.
Before becoming Alexander’s "pointless friend", Richard was hugely successful behind the camera. He was a writer on shows like Have I Got News For You and was also a producer on loads of hits including Deal Or No Deal.
When pitching Pointless to the BBC, he took on the part of co-host and he impressed everyone so much they asked if he’d like to do the job for real. He wrote once: “I pretended to consider the offer for nearly two to three seconds, but inside I couldn’t have been more excited.”
5. Richard Osman is 6ft 7 inches tall!
Yep, Richard is a tall chap! Other celebs who stand at 6ft 7 include Dragon’s Den legend Peter Jones and comedian Stephen Merchant.
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6. Richard broke a World Record!
Nope, he doesn’t hold the 100 metres record, but Richard did manage to claim an official Guinness World Record on Pointless. Richard was given one minute to name as many countries as possible after being told their capital city - e.g if he heard Moscow, he’d answer Russia. After one failed attempt, Richard had a second crack and successfully identified 30 countries from their capital cities in just 60 seconds! “How about that,” beamed Richard after being awarded a record certificate.
7. Richard is a massive Fulham fan.
Richard, who was born in Essex, has been a lifelong fan of Fulham. He tweeted before the start of the new season that “Fulham have yet to lose a league game under Prime Minister Johnson. Ahhh, the baseless optimism of a brand-new football season. It gets you every year.” Fulham promptly lost their first match of the new Championship season!
Richard Osman's Fact File...
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the presenter....
How old is Richard Osman?
Richard Osman's age is 50. His date of birth is 28 November 1970.
Is Richard Osman in a relationship?
Richard Osman is currently single.
Does Richard Osman have kids?
Richard Osman has two children from a previous relationship, a daughter called Ruby and a son called Sonny.
Where was Richard Osman born?
Richard Osman's place of birth is Billericay, Essex.
How tall is Richard Osman?
Richard Osman's height is 6ft 7 inches.
Twitter: @richardosman
Instagram: @misterosman
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
Main pic of Richard Osman: WireImage
