Dr Ranj Singh asks people to move forward after ex-wife breaks her silence on their split
"Identity and sexuality are complex, fluid and evolving things. Some figure it out early; others need longer," said Dr Ranj
By Aaron Sugg
Dr Ranj Singh has responded after his ex-wife broke her silence on the end of their marriage following comments he made in an interview with The Big Issue.
Ranj married Sulvinder Samra in 2006 during his twenties and was married for “almost four years” before eventually coming out as gay.
He told the magazine: “I had the career I’d always wanted, I always wanted a home of my own. I’d ticked all my boxes. So the big question was, why am I still not 100 per cent happy? Why does it still feel like something’s not right? And that’s when therapy brought all of that stuff out.”
“A complete and utter mess” – Dr Ranj on his relationship with his sexuality after his marriage ended
This is not the first time the TV doctor has spoken about the breakdown of his marriage, with comments over the years now appearing to have contributed to renewed tension with his ex-wife.
Speaking to Attitude in 2016, Ranj said that following their split, he began to feel as though his life was “unravelling”. He described struggling with his identity at the time, saying he felt out of control and unsure of who he was, and recalled becoming “a complete and utter mess”.
Their marriage ended in 2011, with Samra predominantly staying silent throughout the split; however, she has now shared her feelings in a public Instagram statement.
“Both parties were hurting, and a divorce was the only option” – Sulvinder Samra on her split from Dr Ranj
Posting photos of the pair together to mark what would have been her 20th wedding anniversary, she wrote: “I thought my life would go as planned… Work hard. Get a degree. Get a job. Find a partner. Get married. Have kids. Instead I had a messy and painful divorce.”
She said she let the past dictate her future, admitting her divorce affected her friendships and her ability to trust herself.
“When it ended, both parties were hurting, and a divorce was the only option. I mourned. It was heavy because the future I thought I had was gone and the person that I thought I had married was gone as well.”
“I felt extremely unattractive. I was ashamed” – Samra on life after separating from Ranj
“I questioned everything. I felt extremely unattractive. I was ashamed. I believed I was not good enough.”
Reclaiming her past, she said she has found a new surge of life, prioritising herself and her family.
In response, Dr Ranj has issued a lengthy statement on social media. Now in a relationship with actor and personal trainer James Colebrook, he said he never “deliberately” hid anything about himself nor “intentionally tried to mislead anyone”.
“I’m genuinely sad that this subject can still bring up pain and difficult feelings” – Ranj addressing ex-wife Samra’s statement
“It’s been nearly 20 years since my divorce, but recent conversations have brought me back to a time that was complicated, emotional and deeply personal,” said the TV doctor.
“Firstly, I’m genuinely sad that this subject can still bring up pain and difficult feelings. That has never been, and would never be, my intention. I’ve only ever spoken about it because it’s a significant period of my life, when asked directly, and in the hope that it might help someone else.”
He described his divorce as “a very painful time” and pointed out he has been respectful by not mentioning his ex-wife’s name, “as that’s not my story to tell”.
Ranj says he was “still working ourselves out” during his marriage
“Unfortunately, as in many cases of relationships involving an LGBTQ+ person (especially a person of colour), people still make assumptions and pass judgement. In reality, life and relationships are rarely straightforward,” said Ranj.
He attributed the breakdown of the marriage to both parties being young, in their twenties, and “still working ourselves out”.
After going to therapy, he found inner peace. “I didn’t grow up deliberately hiding who I was, nor did I intentionally try to mislead anyone. Like many people, I was trying to build the life I thought happiness looked like.”
“Identity and sexuality are complex” – Ranj on his sexuality
“Identity and sexuality are complex, fluid and evolving things. Some figure it out early; others need longer – something I wish my younger self had understood.”
Ranj said he looks back on his marriage to Samra with “respect, gratitude and kindness” and urged people to move forward.