Editing Ruby Wax (section)

==Career==
[[File:Ruby Wax.jpg|thumb|upright|Wax at the 2007 [[BAFTA]] awards]]

===Early career===
Wax moved to the UK and studied at the [[Royal Conservatoire of Scotland|Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama]] in [[Glasgow]]. She started her acting career as a straight actress at the [[Crucible Theatre]], [[Sheffield]], where she began a long-standing writing and directing partnership with [[Alan Rickman]], who later directed many of her stage comedy shows.<ref name="ST" />

In 1978, she joined the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]], working alongside [[Juliet Stevenson]] in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', as Jaquenetta opposite [[Michael Hordern]] in ''[[Love's Labours Lost]]'', replacing [[Zoë Wanamaker]] as Jane in ''[[The Way of the World]]''<ref name = ST>{{cite book | last=Trowbridge | first=Simon | title=Stratfordians, a dictionary of the RSC | chapter= Ruby Wax | publisher=Editions Albert Creed | location=Oxford, England | year=2008 | page=509 | isbn=978-0-9559830-1-6}}</ref> and appearing in the [[Howard Brenton]] three-hander ''Sore Throats''.<ref>{{cite book |first=Howard |last=Brenton |title=Plays One |publisher=[[Methuen Publishing|Methuen]] |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-413-40430-5}}</ref> While at the RSC, Wax also met and befriended [[Ian Charleson]], and later contributed a chapter to the 1990 book, ''For Ian Charleson: A Tribute''.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Ian |last1=McKellen |first2=David |last2=Puttnam |first3=Ruby |last3=Wax |first4=Vanessa |last4=Redgrave |first5=Alan |last5=Bates |display-authors=3 |isbn=0094702500 |title=For Ian Charleson: A Tribute |location=London |publisher=Constable and Company |year=1990 |pages=55–61}}</ref> In 1981, Wax appeared as an American track fan in Charleson's breakthrough film, ''[[Chariots of Fire]]''.<ref>Hugh Hudson Commentary on ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'' DVD, Warner Bros. media.</ref> She originally had a much larger role in the film, but it was cut down in editing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-27 |title=Ruby Wax |url=https://metro.co.uk/2009/10/27/ruby-wax-2-636390/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Metro |language=en |quote="I was cut out but it wasn’t my fault. I played the girlfriend to the whole American running team. There was a scene where I snuck into their dorm. But that hit the floor because my friend was playing Ian Charleson’s girlfriend and they didn’t think her acting was great (though they told her it was because she didn’t shave her armpits). So both our careers ended. We went down like kingpins."}}</ref>

Wax made a one-off appearance in a 1980 episode of ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]'', ''Bloodsports'', playing Lonnie, an American student. In 1981, she appeared in the follow-up to ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'', called ''[[Shock Treatment]]''. In the film, Wax portrays Betty Hapschatt, who married Ralph Hapschatt in the first film. The same year, she Wax also appeared briefly as a secretary in ''[[Omen III: The Final Conflict]]''.

===Comedy work===
In 1985, she starred as loud-mouthed American actress Shelley DuPont on the British sitcom ''[[Girls on Top (British TV series)|Girls on Top]]''.

In 1987, Wax was given her own comedy chat show, ''Don't Miss Wax'', on [[Channel 4]]. She was also hired as a radio presenter by [[the Superstation]], an overnight sustaining service for commercial radio in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usp-group.com/record.jsp?type=teamMember&ID=5 |title=Team Member |website=Usp-group.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221164351/http://www.usp-group.com/record.jsp?type=teamMember&ID=5 |archive-date=21 February 2009}}</ref> In December 1989, she appeared in the ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' episode "[[Timeslides]]" as the television host Blaize Falconberger of the fictional show "''Lifestyles of the Disgustingly Rich and Famous"''.<ref>{{Citation|last=Bye|first=Ed|title=Timeslides|date=1989-12-12|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684185/|type=Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi|others=Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Hattie Hayridge|access-date=2021-03-19}}</ref>

Wax began working with the [[BBC]] in 1991, with the show ''The Full Wax'' (1991–94). In 1994, ''Ruby Wax Meets Madonna'' aired on the [[BBC]], followed by the series ''Ruby Wax Meets...'' (1996–98), in which she interviewed public figures such as [[Imelda Marcos]], [[O. J. Simpson]], and [[Pamela Anderson]].<ref name=IMDB>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115340/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast |title= Ruby Wax Meets... (1996– ): Full Cast & Crew |website=[[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]}}</ref> ''Ruby Wax Meets...'' was nominated for a 1997 [[BAFTA Award]] (credited to Clive Tulloh and Don Boyd), for an interview with [[Sarah, Duchess of York]], an interview which attracted over 14 million viewers.<ref name="LEStandard">{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/i-thought-you-could-have-it-all-7245967.html |title=I thought you could have it all |first=Emine |last=Saner |date=13 February 2006 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]] |location=London |access-date=27 December 2014}}</ref> She also made two guest appearances in ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'', a programme on which she served as script editor throughout the run of the series.<ref name="personally"/>

From November 2001 to June 2002, Wax presented a TV quiz show on [[BBC One]], ''[[The Waiting Game (game show)|The Waiting Game]]''.<ref name=IMDB/> Her final BBC interview series aired in 2003. In 2005 Wax appeared as a cleaner in the music video to [[McFly]]'s Comic Relief song ''[[All About You/You've Got a Friend|All About You]]''.

===Writing, academia, corporate training and returns to television and stage===
In 2002, Wax became the host of ''[[Commercial Breakdown]]''. In that year, Wax published her memoir ''How Do You Want Me?'', which topped ''The Sunday Times'' best-seller list.

In March 2003, Wax was one of the celebrity contestants on ''[[Comic Relief does Fame Academy]]'', a spin-off from the [[BBC]]'s ''[[Fame Academy]]'', with all proceeds donated to ''[[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]]''. Although not a good singer, Wax made it to the final, taking runner-up position to [[Will Mellor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_2852000/2852107.stm |title=Will beats Ruby in Celeb Fame Academy |date=14 March 2003 |website=[[CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

In 2004, the BBC planned to show the cartoon series ''[[Popetown]]'', poking fun at the [[Catholic Church]]. Wax portrayed the [[Pope]] as a spoiled child. After protests, the BBC did not broadcast the show.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/sep/24/bbc.broadcasting?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 |title=BBC drops controversial Pope cartoon |first=Stephen |last=Bates |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 September 2004}}</ref>

In February 2004, Irish broadcaster Patricia Danaher reached an out-of-court settlement with Wax, who had falsely claimed Danaher had made "racist" and "anti-Semitic" remarks about her in an interview for [[Ulster Television]]. Wax's legal team apologised in court, accepted Danaher had made no racist or anti-Semitic statements, and announced there had been a financial settlement.<ref>{{cite journal |date=13 February 2004 |title=Ruby Wax apology over 'racist' claims |journal=[[The Stage]] |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2004/ruby-wax-apology-over-racist-claims/ |access-date=16 December 2008}}</ref>

In November 2005, Wax was criticised by the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' columnist Richard Kay for allegedly opposing a proposed disabled-access ramp for the [[Couper Collection]] charitable art gallery. The UK Sunday newspaper ''[[The Observer]]'' also reported the controversy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1664656,00.html |title=It's Wax versus Max in battle of the art barges |first=Alice |last=O'Keeffe |date=11 December 2005 |newspaper=[[The Observer]]}}</ref> In 2006, Wax responded to the claims in the London ''[[Evening Standard]]'': "Oh no, that's not true. That's so off the wall. Why would I object to a disabled ramp? It wasn't even about that."<ref name="LEStandard"/>

Wax appeared in a supporting role opposite [[Olivia Williams]] and [[Andie MacDowell]] in the 2005 film ''[[Tara Road (film)|Tara Road]]''. In September and October 2005, she appeared as a celebrity contestant in ''[[Gameshow Marathon (UK game show)|Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon]]'', progressing through to ''[[Sale of the Century]]'' before getting knocked out. In summer 2006, she was a celebrity [[showjumper]] in the BBC's [[Sport Relief]] event ''Only Fools on Horses''. She presented ''[[Cirque de Celebrité]]'' on Sky One in 2006. Wax also appeared in an episode of [[Jackass (TV series)|''Jackass'']], participating in the [[Gumball 3000]]. While the race was stopped at the Latvian border she was wrestled by ''Jackass'' personality [[Chris Pontius]].

In March 2009, Wax returned to Comic Relief to take part in ''[[Comic Relief Does The Apprentice]]''. Wax appeared in the 2011 Comic Relief in ''Comic Relief Does Masterchef'' in which Wax prepared an appetiser for then Prime Minister [[David Cameron]].

On 1 April 2009, ''Ruby Wax Goes Dutch'' premiered on Dutch television network [[NET 5]].{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

She was appointed Chancellor of the [[University of Southampton]], commencing duties on 1 May 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2019/04/new-chancellor-appointment.page|title=Ruby Wax appointed Chancellor of the University of Southampton - University of Southampton|website=www.southampton.ac.uk}}</ref>

Wax teaches business communication in the public and private sectors. Clients include [[Deutsche Bank]], the UK [[Home Office]] and [[Skype]].<ref>{{cite news |date=22 March 2010 |title=Comic Ruby Wax runs workshops for Home Office staff |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/mar/22/ruby-wax-workshops-home-office}}</ref>

In September 2013, Wax graduated from [[Kellogg College, Oxford]], with a master's degree in [[Mindfulness (psychology)|mindfulness]]-based cognitive therapy.<ref>{{cite news |date=17 September 2013 |title=Hats off to comic Ruby |newspaper=[[Oxford Mail]] |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/10678444.Hats_off_to_comic_Ruby/ |access-date=27 December 2014}}</ref> She had previously earned a postgraduate certificate in psychotherapy and counselling from [[Regent's University London|Regent's College]] in London.<ref>{{cite web |title=Training and Education |url=http://rubywaxleadership.co.uk/index.php/training-and-education/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228024319/http://rubywaxleadership.co.uk/training-and-education/ |archive-date=28 December 2014 |access-date=27 December 2014 |website=rubywaxleadership.co.uk}}</ref>

In 2016, Wax published her first mindfulness book, ''A Mindfulness Guide For The Frazzled,'' within which she sets out her own six-week mindfulness course with the blessing of Mark Williams, her professor at Oxford and co-creator of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-10 |title=Ruby Wax: 'I wanted to find a method to defuse my depression' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/10/ruby-wax-defuse-my-depression-a-mindfulness-guide-for-the-frazzled |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

After the 2020 lockdown period caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], her book ''And Now for the Good News...'' was published. Still related to [[mindfulness]], it discusses her discovery of new ways for [[education]], [[community]], [[self-sustainability]], [[business]] or [[volunteering]] to improve lives internationally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ruby Wax |url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/and-now-for-the-good-news/ruby-wax/9780241400647 |website=www.waterstones.com}}</ref> Her book ''A Mindfulness Guide For Survival'' was published in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Mindfulness Guide for Survival |url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-mindfulness-guide-for-survival/ruby-wax/9781787399594 |website=www.waterstones.com}}</ref>

She lectures at [[Bangor University]] and in 2022 received an honorary degree from the university.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/ruby-wax-steve-backshall-to-receive-honorary-degrees-from-bangor-university | title=Ruby Wax, Steve Backshall to receive honorary degrees from Bangor University}}</ref>