Ruby Wax

American-British comedian (born 1953)

Ruby Wax
OBE

Wax at the 2016 Hay Festival

Born

Ruby Wachs
(1953-04-19) 19 April 1953 (age 70)
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.

Citizenship

United StatesUnited Kingdom

Education

University of California, Berkeley
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (BA)
Regent\'s College (PgDip)
Kellogg College, Oxford (MSt)

Occupations

Actresscomedianwritertelevision personalitymental health campaigner

Years active

1970–present

Spouses

Andrew Porter
​ ​(m. 1976; div. 1980)​
Trevor Walton
​ ​(m. 1981, divorced)​
Ed Bye ​(m. 1988)​

Children

3

Website

rubywax.net

Ruby Wax OBE (née Wachs; born 19 April 1953) is an American-British actress, comedian, writer, television personality, and mental health campaigner. A classically-trained actress, Wax was with the Royal Shakespeare Company for five years and co-starred on the ITV sitcom Girls on Top (1985–1986).

Wax came to prominence as a comic interviewer, playing up to British perceptions of the strident American style on television shows including The Full Wax (1991–1994), Ruby Wax Meets... (1994–1998), Ruby (1997–2000), and The Ruby Wax Show (2002). She was a script editor for the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), also appearing in two episodes.

Wax holds both American and British citizenship and has resided in the United Kingdom since the 1970s. In 2013, she gained a master\'s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from Kellogg College, Oxford. Wax was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Special Honours for services to mental health. Her memoirs How Do You Want Me? (2002) and Sane New World (2013) both reached number one on the Sunday Times bestseller list.

Wax at the 2007 BAFTA awards

Early career

Wax moved to the UK and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. She started her acting career as a straight actress at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, where she began a long-standing writing and directing partnership with Alan Rickman, who later directed many of her stage comedy shows.

In 1978, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, working alongside Juliet Stevenson in Measure for Measure, as Jaquenetta opposite Michael Hordern in Love\'s Labours Lost, replacing Zoë Wanamaker as Jane in The Way of the World and appearing in the Howard Brenton three-hander Sore Throats. While at the RSC, Wax also met and befriended Ian Charleson, and later contributed a chapter to the 1990 book, For Ian Charleson: A Tribute. In 1981, Wax appeared as an American track fan in Charleson\'s breakthrough film, Chariots of Fire.

Wax made a one-off appearance in a 1980 episode of The Professionals, Bloodsports, playing Lonnie, an American student. In 1981, she appeared in the follow-up to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, called Shock Treatment. In the film, Wax portrays Betty Hapschatt, who married Ralph Hapschatt in the first film. Wax also appeared briefly as a secretary in Omen III: The Final Conflict.

Comedy work

In 1985, she starred as loud-mouthed American actress Shelley DuPont on the British sitcom Girls on Top.

In 1987, Wax was given her own comedy chat show, Don\'t Miss Wax, on Channel 4. She was also hired as a radio presenter by the Superstation, an overnight sustaining service for commercial radio in the UK. In December 1989, she appeared in the Red Dwarf episode \"Timeslides\" as the television host Blaize Falconberger of the fictional show \"Lifestyles of the Disgustingly Rich and Famous\".

Wax began working with the BBC in 1991, with the show The Full Wax (1991–94). In 1994, Ruby Wax Meets Madonna aired on the BBC, followed by the series Ruby Wax Meets... (1996–98), in which she interviewed public figures such as Imelda Marcos, O. J. Simpson, and Pamela Anderson. Ruby Wax Meets... was nominated for a 1997 BAFTA Award (credited to Clive Tulloh and Don Boyd), for an interview with Sarah, Duchess of York, an interview which attracted over 14 million viewers. She also made two guest appearances in Absolutely Fabulous, a programme on which she served as script editor throughout the run of the series.

From November 2001 to June 2002, Wax presented a TV quiz show on BBC One, The Waiting Game. Her final BBC interview series aired in 2003. In 2005 Wax appeared as a cleaner in the music video to McFly\'s Comic Relief song All About You.

Writing, academia, corporate training and returns to television and stage

In 2002, Wax became the host of Commercial Breakdown. In that year, Wax published her memoir How Do You Want Me?, which topped The Sunday Times best-seller list.

In March 2003, Wax was one of the celebrity contestants on Comic Relief does Fame Academy, a spin-off from the BBC\'s Fame Academy, with all proceeds donated to Comic Relief. Although not a good singer, Wax made it to the final, taking runner-up position to Will Mellor.

In 2004, the BBC planned to show the cartoon series Popetown, poking fun at the Catholic Church. Wax portrayed the Pope as a spoiled child. After protests, the BBC did not broadcast the show.

In February 2004, Irish broadcaster Patricia Danaher reached an out-of-court settlement with Wax, who had falsely claimed Danaher had made \"racist\" and \"anti-Semitic\" remarks about her in an interview for Ulster Television. Wax\'s legal team apologised in court, accepted Danaher had made no racist or anti-Semitic statements, and announced there had been a financial settlement.

In November 2005, Wax was criticised by the Daily Mail columnist Richard Kay for allegedly opposing a proposed disabled-access ramp for the Couper Collection charitable art gallery. The UK Sunday newspaper The Observer also reported the controversy. In 2006, Wax responded to the claims in the London Evening Standard: \"Oh no, that\'s not true. That\'s so off the wall. Why would I object to a disabled ramp? It wasn\'t even about that.\"

Wax appeared in a supporting role opposite Olivia Williams and Andie MacDowell in the 2005 film Tara Road. In September and October 2005, she appeared as a celebrity contestant in Ant & Dec\'s Gameshow Marathon, progressing through to Sale of the Century before getting knocked out. In summer 2006, she was a celebrity showjumper in the BBC\'s Sport Relief event Only Fools on Horses. She presented Cirque de Celebrité on Sky One in 2006. Wax also appeared in an episode of Jackass, participating in the Gumball 3000. While the race was stopped at the Latvian border she was wrestled by Jackass personality Chris Pontius.

In March 2009, Wax returned to Comic Relief to take part in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. Wax appeared in the 2011 Comic Relief in Comic Relief Does Masterchef in which Wax prepared an appetiser for then Prime Minister David Cameron.

On 1 April 2009, Ruby Wax Goes Dutch premiered on Dutch television network NET 5.

She was appointed Chancellor of the University of Southampton, commencing duties on 1 May 2019.

Wax teaches business communication in the public and private sectors. Clients include Deutsche Bank, the UK Home Office and Skype.

In September 2013, Wax graduated from Kellogg College, Oxford, with a master\'s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. She had previously earned a postgraduate certificate in psychotherapy and counselling from Regent\'s College in London.

In 2016, Wax published her first mindfulness book, A Mindfulness Guide For The Frazzled, within which she sets out her own six-week mindfulness course with the blessing of Mark Williams, her professor at Oxford and co-creator of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

After the 2020 lockdown period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, her book And Now for the Good News... was published. Still related to mindfulness, it discusses her discovery of new ways for education, community, self-sustainability, business or volunteering to improve lives internationally. Her book A Mindfulness Guide For Survival was published in August 2021.

She lectures at Bangor University and in 2022 received an honorary degree from the university.

Mental health campaigning

Wax in 2016

Wax has been open about her struggles with bipolar disorder and depression. She made an online series on mental health issues for the BBC and has worked with mental health charities.

Wax\'s 2010 stand-up show Losing It dealt with her mental health, including time she spent in a psychiatric clinic. Wax founded the mental health website (which is now part of the SANE mental health charity) in 2011 in response to the audience reaction from her theatre show.

In 2013, Wax published Sane New World, which became a number-one best-seller. It was followed in January 2016 by A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled. In 2018 her third book on the subject of mental health came out: How to Be Human: The Manual, written with the help of a neuroscientist and a monk.

In June 2015, Wax was appointed Visiting Professor in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Surrey. In 2015, it was announced that she would be made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to mental health.

In May 2023, Wax released her new book and accompanying audiobook I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was, which details her recent life including further time spent receiving psychiatric treatment and battles against depression.

Personal life

Wax is married to television producer and director Ed Bye. They have three children: Max (born 1988), Madeleine (born 1990), and Marina (born 1993).

In an episode of the BBC\'s Who Do You Think You Are? in 2017, Wax revealed her great-grandmother and great-aunt had been committed to mental asylums in Brno and Vienna as they were incurably \"agitated\".

In 2019, Wax fell off a horse while on holiday, severely injuring her back. She had to cancel her show How to Be Human at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a result of her injuries.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

1981

Chariots of Fire

Bunty

Shock Treatment

Betty Hapschatt

Omen III: The Final Conflict

U.S. Ambassador\'s Secretary

Uncredited

1982

Things Are Tough All Over

Restaurant Patron

1985

Romance on the Orient Express

Susan Lawson

Television film

Water

Spenco Executive

1986

Come Dancing

Herself

Documentary film

1998

Ruby Wax\'s Miami Memoirs

1991

Ruby Takes a Trip...

1992

Wax Acts

1997

The Borrowers

Town Hall Clerk

2000

Ruby Wax Gets Streetwise

Herself

Documentary film

2005

Tara Road

Carlotta

2008

Agent Crush

Charleen Chinstubble (voice)

2011

The British Guide to Showing Off

Herself

Documentary film

2012

Sir Billi

Patty Turner (voice)

2021

Ron\'s Gone Wrong

Ms. Hartley (voice)

Television

Year Title Role Notes

1979

Not the Nine O\'Clock News

1 episode

1980

The Professionals

Lonnie

Episode: \"Blood Sports\"

1985

Happy Families

Waitress

Episode: \"Cassie\"

1985–1986

Girls on Top

Shelley

13 episodes

1986–1992

Wogan

Herself

5 episodes

1987–1988

Don\'t Miss Wax

Herself - Host

16 episodes

1988–1989

Wax on Wheels

Herself

1988–1993

Count Duckula

Various (voice)

15 episodes

1989

Red Dwarf

Blaize Falconberger

Episode: \"Timeslides\"

East Meets Wax

Herself

Class of \'69

Presenter

1990

Hit and Run

1 episode

1991–1994

The Full Wax

23 episodes

1992

The Comic Strip Presents...

Sue

Episode: \"Wild Turkey\"

Wax Acts

Presenter

1993

Wax Cracks Hollywood

1994–1998

Ruby Wax Meets...

21 episodes

1995, 2001

Absolutely Fabulous

Candy / Beth De Woodi

Also script editor (39 episodes)

1996

Oscar\'s Orchestra

Hannah the Harp (voice)

1997–2000

Ruby

Presenter

BBC talk show; 48 episodes

1999–2000

Ruby\'s American Pie

12 episodes

1999

Ruby

Talk-reality show airing on Lifetime; 10 episodes

2001

Hot Wax

2001–2002

The Waiting Game

2002

Commercial Breakdown

8 episodes

The Ruby Wax Show

2002–2003

V Graham Norton

Herself - Guest

4 episodes

2003

Ruby Wax With...

Presenter

6 episodes

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy

Herself

Series one

The Big Read

2 episodes

Have I Got News for You

1 episode

2004

Ruby Does the Business

Mini-series

Planet Cook

Roxie (voice)

French and Saunders

The Executive

1 episode

2005

Jackass

Herself

Episode: \"Gumball 3000 Rally Special\"

Gameshow Marathon

Herself - Contestant

4 episodes

2006

Cirque de Celebrité

Presenter

10 episodes

Popetown

The Pope (voice)

10 episodes

Dawn French\'s Girls Who Do Comedy

Herself

3 episodes

2009

Taking the Flak

Candida

Episode: \"Black Gold\"

2012

Ruby Wax\'s Mad Confessions

Herself

2013

Anna & Katy

1 episode

College Tour

The Spa

Episode: \"Christmas Special: Strangers in the Night\"

2014

Crackanory

Host - Presenter

Episode: \"Let Me Be the Judge & I\'m Still Here\"

2017

Who Do You Think You Are?

Herself

1 episode

Head Talks

Thunderbirds Are Go

Hayley Edmonds (voice)

Episode: \"Bolt from the Blue\"

2018

Ruby Wax: How to Be Human

Presenter

Mini-series

2020

Question Time

Herself

1 episode

2021

When Ruby Wax Met…

3 episodes

2022

Countdown

Dictionary corner; 5 episodes

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer

1 episode

Gogglebox

Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip

3 episodes

2023

Ruby Wax: Cast Away

2 episodes

The Weakest Link

Celebrity Contestant

1 episode

Bibliography

How Do You Want Me? (2002)
Sane New World (2013)
A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled (2016)
How to Be Human: The Manual (2018)
And Now for the Good News...: The Much-needed Tonic for Our Frazzled World (2020)
Mindfulness Guide for Survival (2021)
I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was (2023)

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