Romesh Ranganthan shoots Sky Max travelogue Can't Knock The Hustle
- The four-part show sees the stand-up visiting India, South Korea, the US and Canada, as he explores how different cultures maintain a work-life balance
- Airing next year, Can't Knock The Hustle finds the comic "interrogating, unravelling and debunking his own material, in a global exploration of our hustle-obsessed modern existence"
- Ranganathan said: "We decided to film a series exploring what I'd said on stage and whether I was right. This show confirms the suspicion that I often don't know what I'm talking about"
Romesh Ranganathan has shot a travelogue on his international tour, in which the constantly grafting, jet-setting comic explores how different cultures maintain a work-life balance, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal.
With the working title Can't Knock The Hustle, shooting wrapped last week on the Sky Max documentary series in which Ranganathan visits India, South Korea, the US and Canada over the course of his Hustle stand-up tour, with the four hour-long episodes airing next year.
Featuring exclusive clips from his stand-up routines, in which he questions whether hustling is the key to success, the comic is described as "interrogating, unravelling and debunking his own material, in a global exploration of our hustle-obsessed modern existence".
Ranganathan said: "Stand-ups often deliver a show completely unchecked by logic. We decided to film a series exploring what I'd said on stage and whether I was right. This show confirms the suspicion that I often don't know what I'm talking about."
Director Benjamin Green (Real Friends) added: "It takes a special kind of person to diligently fact-check their tour show - but an even more special kind to wait until after they've performed it for thousands of people. Romesh is that person."
Often called Britain's hardest-working comedian, Ranganathan clarifies "I don't work hard, I work a lot" in the Hustle live show.
Guest presenters have occasionally hosted his Radio 2 show over the last few months during his travels abroad. But he has continued to record his weekly Wolf and Owl podcast with Tom Davis remotely across different timezones.
Ranganathan already presents the sports panel show A League Of Their Own for Sky and the recently Rose d'Or Award-nominated series Rob And Romesh Vs with Rob Beckett, with the pair returning next year for Rob & Romesh Vs Wildlife Photography.
Hosting the ITV comedy quiz show Romesh Ranganathan's Parents' Evening and game show The Weakest Link on BBC One, last year he piloted a chat show for the corporation, with whom he previously made his Misadventures travel series and the sitcom Avoidance.
After publishing his debut children's novel this summer, Lil' Muffin Drops The Mic, he is set to star in and produce Hysterical, a television comedy-drama penned by Olivia Lee (Dirty Sexy Funny: Olivia Lee) for his production company Ranga Bee (The Reluctant Landlord, Romesh Ranganathan: The Cynic), about a group of friends taking down a misogynist icon, which also stars James Bond's Naomie Harris and Jameela Jamil (The Good Place).
Taking its title from a track by Jay-Z, Can't Knock The Hustle is produced by John Hodgson (Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father) for Ranga Bee, with hip-hop fan Ranganathan and Green serving as executive producers. The series was commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, executive director of unscripted originals at Sky, and for Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and chief content officer for Sky. The commissioning editor is Barbara Lee.