BBC Two welcome the Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan

Sherlock Holmes. Hercule Poirot. Jessica Fletcher. Romesh Ranga— sorry, what?

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan sees the presenter investigate the lives and deaths of some of the world’s most intriguing cultural icons.

The comedian and presenter would be an unlikely addition to the list of TV’s favourite detectives, but his brand new, three-part series for BBC Two could be about to propel him to the sleuthing super league. Or not.

Fresh from completing his final series of BAFTA-winning Misadventures earlier this year, Romesh is shifting gear from exploring some of the world’s least tourist-friendly destinations to investigating the lives and deaths of some of the world’s most intriguing cultural icons.

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan, set to launch this summer, will see the presenter delve into the stories of four entertainment figures who’ve always been a source of fascination for him. The first, West Coast hip hop pioneer Tupac Shakur followed by Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and girlfriend Nancy Spungen and finally groundbreaking guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

All four had a lasting impact on the world of popular culture during their lifetimes whilst also experiencing untimely deaths in their twenties that have long been a topic of suspicion and debate.

Step forward Romesh Ranganathan – a man with admittedly no experience of criminal investigations whatsoever – who is going to attempt to crack each case once and for all. Ably assisted by criminal psychologist, writer and podcaster Dr Julia Shaw, Romesh talks to experts, eyewitnesses, friends and journalists to learn more about the remarkable lives of each of these stars and try to unravel the enduring mystery behind their tragic deaths.

Part investigation and part biography, The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan gently pillories the true crime genre whilst providing viewers with a fresh, empathetic insight into four often misunderstood life stories played out in the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight.

Romesh Ranganathan:

“We wanted a spin-off for Misadventures, and after we discussed Misinterpretations, Miscalculations and Misunderstandings, we finally settled on Misinvestigations. It’s been really interesting to look into these high-profile deaths and I am very excited for people to see the show. Unless of course people don’t like it, in which case I will release a statement explaining how I never really believed in the project.”

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan airs on BBC Two and iPlayer later this month. The episode focused on Jimi Hendrix originally aired on BBC Two as a pilot in 2022.