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

The comedian and presenter would be an unlikely addition to the list of TV’s favourite detectives, but his brand new, three-part BBC series – The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan – 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 on BBC Two and iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 25 August, will see the presenter delve into the stories of entertainment figures who’ve always been a source of fascination for him: Tupac Shakur, Nancy Spungen and Jimi Hendrix.

All of them 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 three often misunderstood life stories played out in the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight.

The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The series is produced by Rumpus Media (part of the STV Studios family), with Emily Hudd and Morgan Roberts serving as Executive Producers. The Commissioning Editor is Ricky Cooper.

Watch The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two on 25 August at 9pm.  

Interview with Romesh Ranganathan 

We’re used to seeing you travelling the world and exploring interesting places as part of your Misadventures series, but Misinvestigations sees you focusing instead on infamous celebrity deaths. Why the gear change?

We wanted to find a fun way of doing a celeb biopic while also doing a true crime style show. This ticked all (both) of the boxes.  

In the series, you gently poke fun at true crime documentaries. Are you a fan of the genre?

I’m a huge fan, but we wanted to do a, sort of, take off of the tropes of those types of shows. It’s an homage.

Could this series mark the start of a new career for you? Detective Ranganathan has a nice ring to it…

I think that’s unlikely. People already say I do too much. This might be taking the piss. 

Did you seek inspiration from any famous detectives – real-life or fictional – for the series?

I would love to say Luther but I think comparing myself to Idris [Elba] would lead to a backlash that my wife would spearhead.

Why were you specifically interested in exploring the lives and deaths of Tupac, Nancy and Jimi?

They are all people who moved the cultural needle and also passed away in circumstances that are still being speculated about today – perhaps as a result of the manner in which they were idolised.

Did your investigations teach you anything new about celebrity culture and about how society and the media treated these cultural figures in life and death?

I think that the media has had a huge part to play in the perception of these people, as well as their deaths. Nancy Spungen’s portrayal in the media was particularly distasteful.

What did you learn from Dr Julia Shaw, the criminal psychologist who assisted you with your investigations?

The brilliant Dr Shaw not only displayed an analytical mind that far surpassed anything I could have mustered, but she also taught me to remove any bias in both my analysis of clues and answers, and to recognise the bias in my own questioning.

After talking with experts, eyewitnesses, friends and journalists to try to unravel each mystery, were any preconceived notions you had before filming altered by the end of the series?

I may have carried the notion that [former music executive] Suge Knight had something to do with the death of Tupac Shakur. I both no longer believe that and regret saying it out loud.

For some viewers, this might be their first introduction to Tupac, Sid and Nancy, and Jimi. What do you hope their lasting impression of each of them will be after watching the series?

I believe that, regardless of whether you like the music of these individuals, you will definitely leave the shows with an understanding of how culturally important each of them were.

Thanks Romesh. Anything else you’d like to add before you go?

If I ever die in mysterious circumstances, I’d love someone to investigate it on BBC Two.

Interview supplied by BBC. Pictures: BBC/Rumpus Media Ltd