Ruby's Fame Game I Felt Like A Sham

The Star Discusses Her Odd Upbringing, Giving Her Kids Nightmares and Getting Older

- Mirrorpix

Ruby Wax is perhaps the most reluctant famous person we have ever met. Arriving to meet us at a coffee shop on a bicycle, she’s dressed in leggings and a T-shirt, with hair like she’s just rolled out of bed, rubbing her eyes to wake herself up, and clutching a Tupperware full of blueberries.

She’s absolutely tiny (it isn’t easy for her to climb onto the high stools at the café), and despite declaring, ‘No-one will bother us here as I’m not famous anymore’, she’s stopped by fans four times and by one woman who claims to have worked with her on a period drama. Despite being extra polite, we’re convinced Ruby (66) didn’t have a clue who she was – judging by the eye roll she gave us when the poor woman walked away.

This is all before we’ve started our interview, resulting in us table hopping and big sighs of annoyance from Ms Wax as two girls are sat on her preferred table having not even ordered drinks. If looks could kill…

The once gobby, straight-talking, American comic had her own talk show in the 1990s (interviewing everyone from the Ku Klux Klan to OJ Simpson), and was a script editor for 20 years on Absolutely Fabulous, while she also developed her own successful TV career. But following a string of mental health episodes that saw her check into The Priory clinic a few years ago, she’s become the unofficial poster girl for mindfulness, working tirelessly to stop the stigma, and has since been awarded an OBE for services to mental health.

She lives in London with husband Ed, with their three children, Marina, Madeline and Max, living round the corner from them. Despite the kids being in their 30s, they still jump at the chance to holiday with Mum and Dad, with Max off to Finland with Ruby straight after our chat.