Dr Ranj explains surprise career move: ‘I needed a new challenge’
TV star Dr Ranj Singh is starring in his musical theatre debut in & Juliet. (Getty/Unsplash/canva)
Dr Ranj Singh has revealed why he’s chosen to temporarily step away from his TV and medical career in favour of the dazzling lights of the stage.
The queer pediatric specialist, author and former This Morning doctor is starring in the national tour of & Juliet for the next four months, his first musical theatre role.
He’ll play Frenchman Lance in the production, which tells the story of what would have happened to the heroine from Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo & Juliet, had she not taken her life after Romeo had done the same.
The “empowering and inclusive” show, as Dr Ranj sees it, features a soundtrack created by Swedish producer and song-writer Max Martin, known for hits including Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Britney’s “Baby One More Time”.
Speaking exclusively to PinkNews, the TV personality explained why he wanted to make a career switch, talked about the show’s queer cast and addressed the mild controversy around his casting.
“It’s always been a dream of mine,” he said, revealing a little-known fact about himself: when he was six years old, he came second (“with distinction”) in a regional singing contest. He was a creative child, but ultimately opted to go down the academic route.
“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’. 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.”
Lance has several key moments in the show, including – spoiler alert – falling in love with Angelique and trying to set his son up with Juliet.
“It’s a scary part,” Dr Ranj said. “He’s not an easy character to play, and he’s very different to who I am. I’m going against my instincts in so many ways, but I love that I got to push myself out of that comfort zone and play somebody who I wouldn’t naturally have an affinity for.”
But it was also & Juliet’s diverse cast – “We have people of colour, we have people of all genders” – that was “very validating” for the new star.
“It feels like I’m with my people. It’s very much a chosen family… everyone is together. That is wonderful to see, especially when there’s so much going on in the world,” he continued. “There’s so much divisiveness, particularly [aimed at] the LGBTQ+ community.”
Being on TV as an LGBTQ+ person, Dr Ranj has experienced his fair share of flak – including some vicious trolling. Asked whether it’s a welcome change, he conceded that while the theatre industry “embraces difference”, he’s also had to prove himself.
When his casting was announced, a handful of industry professionals weren’t impressed by another celebrity being drafted into musical theatre.
“I trained as a doctor, so I can go into that field and feel very much like I’m supposed to be there and I’ve earned my right to be there,” Dr Ranj said. “But with TV, and even with theatre, I have to prove myself over and over gain… this is a feeling as a queer person that we’re very used to. I’m constantly battling that.
“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.”
Plus, he was as surprised as anyone to get the part. When he did, he committed himself to going above and beyond with rehearsals to prove his worth.
“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,” he explained. “I put in so much work, and I’m hoping it’s paid off.”
However, the career shift doesn’t signify the end of his TV or medical career.
“I’d hope to be able to do more of this,” he went on to say. “That doesn’t necessarily mean I want to give up anything else for good. I’d love to be able to dip in and out of various roles. But I would absolutely love to do more theatre in general.”
He’s even got a pitch for his next project, and it’s one he could be writing himself.
“I’d love to do something that centres around a South Asian story or experience, particularly the queer one. We don’t we don’t see enough of that. Maybe I’ll write one, like a Bolly Elliot.”
& Juliet is touring the UK until June 2025.
