Ruby Wax

Actress, Comedian & Writer, As Seen in ITV’s “Girls on Top”, Author of Sunday Times Bestselling “How Do You Want Me?”, Bangor University Lecturer & Contestant on “I’m A Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here” 2025

Ruby Wax’s Biography:

Ruby Wax is a bold and inventive comedian, actress, writer and mental health campaigner whose work spans five decades. Having risen to prominence in the UK with sitcoms, talk shows and her own BBC interview series, she later retrained to become a scholar of the mind and a leading voice on mindfulness and mental wellbeing. With her unique combination of humour, intellectual insight and lived experience of depression and anxiety, she challenges audiences to rethink their relationship with distress, identity and the technology-driven pace of modern life.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1953 to Austrian Jewish refugee parents, Ruby moved to the UK, trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. She went on to star in the ITV sitcom Girls on Top, host her own BBC series, such as The Full Wax and Ruby Wax Meets, and appear in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous. After her success in comedy and television, she made a dramatic transition, earning a Master’s in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy at Oxford and becoming a visiting professor of mental health nursing at the University of Surrey.

In recent years, Ruby has used her platform to break the stigma around mental illness, founding initiatives such as the Black Dog Tribe social network and collaborating with charities like Mind, SANE and the British Neuroscience Association. Her bestselling books, including Sane New World, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled and I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was, combine personal story with science, humour and practical tools for managing life’s complexity. She also continues to deliver shows, workshops and keynotes internationally, speaking on mental health in organisations from banks to governments.

Ruby remains a powerful advocate for self-acceptance, resilience and human connection. Her charismatic stage presence, sharp wit and deeply empathetic message make her an ideal speaker for events seeking to explore wellbeing, leadership, communication and change in a world of growing technological and emotional demands.

Why Hire Ruby Wax?

Ruby Wax is an extraordinary speaker who blends laughter, insight and authenticity to provoke thought and change. Her remarkable career, from comedian and broadcaster to academic and mental health campaigner, gives her a rare perspective on resilience, identity and the pressures of modern living. As the recipient of an OBE for services to mental health, Ruby is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading advocates for emotional wellbeing. Her ability to engage audiences with humour and honesty while tackling complex themes around mindfulness and mental health ensures that her talks are both entertaining and transformative. Whether speaking to corporate teams, educators or healthcare professionals, Ruby delivers meaningful, science-backed insights that inspire awareness, connection and positive change.

Ruby Wax’s Career Highlights:

Below showcases Ruby Wax’s highlights that influenced her career throughout acting, comedy and more:

• 2025 – Contestant on “I’m A Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here” 2025
• 2025 – Recognised as one of the Top 10 Consultants & Speakers on Mental Health for Blue Monday 2025, thanks to her unique blend of comedy, neuroscience and advocacy.
• 2024 – Launched her “I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was” national tour show.
• 2023 – Published I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was, a Sunday Times bestseller.
• 2020 – Published And Now For the Good News: The Much-Needed Tonic for Our Frazzled World.
• 2019 – Appointed Chancellor of the University of Southampton.
• 2018 – Published How to Be Human: The Manual, co-written with neuroscientist Ash Ranpura.
• 2016 – Published A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled and toured the UK with a stage adaptation.
• 2015 – Appointed OBE for services to mental health.
• 2013 – Published Sane New World, a global bestseller on mindfulness and mental well-being.
• 2012 – Delivered her TEDGlobal talk What’s So Funny About Mental Health, viewed millions of times worldwide.
• 1994 – Hosted Ruby Wax Meets, her acclaimed BBC interview series featuring global celebrities.
• 1985 – Starred in ITV’s Girls on Top alongside Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.
• 1980 – Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company after training at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.