43 Facts About Ruby Wax

Ruby Wax is an American-British actress, comedian, writer, television presenter, and mental health campaigner.

Ruby Wax was a script editor for the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, appearing in two episodes.

Ruby Wax was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2015 Special Honours for services to mental health.

Ruby Wax's parents were Austrian Jews who left Vienna in 1938 because of the Nazi threat.

Ruby Wax's father was a sausage manufacturer and her mother qualified as an accountant.

Ruby Wax majored in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, leaving after a year without completing her degree.

Ruby Wax moved to the UK and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Ruby Wax 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 1981, Ruby Wax appeared as an American track fan in Charleson's breakthrough film, Chariots of Fire.

Ruby Wax originally had a much larger role in the film, but it was cut down in editing.

Ruby Wax made a one-off appearance in a 1980 episode of The Professionals, Bloodsports, playing Lonnie, an American student.

In 1987, Ruby Wax was given her own comedy chat show, Don't Miss Ruby Wax, on Channel 4.

Ruby Wax was hired as a radio presenter by the Superstation, an overnight sustaining service for commercial radio in the UK.

Ruby Wax began working with the BBC in 1991, with the show The Full Ruby Wax.

In 1994, Ruby Wax Meets Madonna aired on the BBC, followed by the series Ruby Wax Meets.

Ruby Wax 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, Ruby Wax presented a TV quiz show on BBC One, The Waiting Game.

In 2005 Ruby Wax appeared as a cleaner in the music video to McFly's Comic Relief song All About You.

In March 2003, Ruby 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.

In February 2004, Irish broadcaster Patricia Danaher reached an out-of-court settlement with Ruby Wax, who had falsely claimed Danaher had made "racist" and "anti-Semitic" remarks about her in an interview for Ulster Television.

In November 2005, Ruby 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.

Ruby Wax appeared in a supporting role opposite Olivia Williams and Andie MacDowell in the 2005 film Tara Road.

Ruby Wax presented Cirque de Celebrite on Sky One in 2006.

Ruby Wax appeared in an episode of Jackass, participating in the Gumball 3000.

In March 2009, Ruby Wax returned to Comic Relief to take part in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice.

Ruby Wax appeared in the 2011 Comic Relief in Comic Relief Does Masterchef in which Ruby 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.

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

Ruby Wax teaches business communication in the public and private sectors.

In September 2013, Ruby Wax graduated from Kellogg College, Oxford, with a master's degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

Ruby Wax had previously earned a postgraduate certificate in psychotherapy and counselling from Regent's College in London.

In 2016, Ruby 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.

Ruby Wax has been open about her struggles with bipolar disorder and depression.

Ruby Wax made an online series on mental health issues for the BBC and has worked with mental health charities.

Ruby Wax founded the mental health website in 2011 in response to the audience reaction from her theatre show.

In 2013, Ruby Wax published Sane New World, which became a number-one best-seller.

In June 2015, Ruby Wax was appointed visiting professor in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Surrey.

In May 2023, Ruby 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.

Ruby Wax toured a one-woman show based on the book.

Ruby Wax is married to television producer and director Ed Bye.

In 2019, Ruby Wax fell off a horse while on holiday, severely injuring her back.

Ruby Wax had to cancel her show How to Be Human at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a result of her injuries.

Ruby Wax has been a naturalised British citizen since the 1970s, while retaining her American citizenship.