Romesh Ranganathan recalls 'terrifying' experience of being set on fire

Romesh Ranganathan on The One Show. (BBC screenshot)
Romesh Ranganathan on The One Show. (BBC screenshot)

Comedian Romesh Ranganathan says being set on fire for his new TV show was "properly terrifying".

The One Show presenters Roman Kemp and Alex Jones welcomed Ranganathan and Gemma Arterton into the BBC studio on Tuesday's episode.

Aside from promoting the return of his true-crime pastiche series The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan, the bespectacled comedian opened up about shooting Rob & Romesh Vs... in Hollywood with Rob Beckett.

For one sequence, the pair tried their hand at professional stunt work and were set ablaze for the cameras.

A fiery Romesh and Rob Beckett giving stunt work a go. (BBC screenshot/Sky)
A fiery Romesh and Rob Beckett giving stunt work a go. (BBC screenshot/Sky)

Ranganathan recalled: "That was terrifying because obviously they're so hot on safety — pardon the pun — but you have been brought up, as I hope all of us have, to know that fire is dangerous.

"So even when they fuel up and they go 'OK you're lit!', you go, 'Yeah I know... I'm on fire mate'. It's properly terrifying."

Read more: The One Show

It's common practice in the TV and film industry for stunt performers to wear three layers of fireproof underwear which is soaked in fire retardant gel. Above that is a rain suit preventing the gel from being absorbed; a fire suit and a thin cotton suit.

Exposed skin will also be caked in the gel.

Alex Jones and Romesh presenting the programme. (BBC screenshot)
Alex Jones and Romesh presenting the programme. (BBC screenshot)

Meanwhile, Ranganathan was forced to deny that he was rebooting classic kids programme Art Attack.

"I am not bringing back Art Attack," he announced after Kemp brought up the subject. "What I have done though is be subjected to incredible levels of online abuse — people going to me, 'How dare you try and replace Neil Buchanan.'

"I just wanna say to the cameras I am not doing Art Attack. I'm not replacing Neil Buchanan, I respect what he did, I would never step on his legacy in that way, please stop @'ing me alright?"

The One Show airs weekdays at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/romesh-ranganathan-terrifying-experience-fire-190239579.html

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