Richard Osman given blunt advice after battling 'addiction' and 'shame'

Richard Osman received some candid advice from his therapist as he grappled with food addiction and discomfort over his height. The former Pointless star sought therapy in his 30s to tackle his issues with eating.

The best-selling novelist shared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that unlike the "doomed glamour" associated with alcohol and drugs, food addiction is less romanticised. Yet, he confessed that his own battle was "identical" to that of an alcoholic.

Richard detailed the "shame" and "secrecy" he experienced during the throws of addiction. He told presenter Lauren Laverne that he would go around to a friend's house and question how they had chocolate bars "untouched" in their house

Despite seeking help, Richard accepts that his food-related challenges will likely persist for life. He confided to Radio 4 listeners: "I'm either controlling it or not controlling it at any given time, and these days I control it more often than I don't, but it's actually quite hard and sometimes you do slip, but I try my best and I certainly have no shame about it now."

The author of The Thursday Murder Club series also reflected on feeling "directionless" during his thirties, even though he was in a stable relationship and a father of two. Richard credits "years of therapy" for reaching a place where he finally felt "happy with himself".

It was then however that his therapist offered some blunt advice about what was missing in the TV producer's life. Richard told The Sunday Times: "I'd spent years in therapy dealing with food addiction, feeling too tall, feeling like I couldn't see anything and feeling shame that in Brian Wilson's words, 'I wasn't made for these times.'

"I got to a point where I was happy in myself and my work but my therapist said, 'You won't finish your journey until you're in a relationship'. He was right."

Richard had always harboured a desire to be "part of a team". This longing was fulfilled in 2022 when he met Doctor Who star Ingrid Oliver on his House of Games TV show.

He recalls being aware of Ingrid a year prior, but his friend, comedian Lou Sanders, had informed him she was off the market. Richard found Ingrid "very funny", though their interaction had been limited to a solitary social media exchange.

Yet, Richard was utterly charmed by Ingrid during her appearance on House of Games, particularly after she responded to a question he posed: "I'm looking for two rhyming answers. A musical instrument filled with rice played by shaking, and the capital of Venezuela."

When she cleverly replied "Maracas and Caracas", Richard was convinced Ingrid was "the one". Their romance blossomed post-show, leading them down the aisle at the picturesque Goodwood House in West Sussex.

Richard characterised the ceremony as "very un-showbizzy" and disclosed that it was a gathering of family and friends. While on Desert Island Discs, Richard shared: "'I'm happy with myself, I've got these beautiful kids, I've met the woman who I'm going to be with for the rest of my life."