Richard Osman has been open about living with a rare condition that has influenced both his professional work and everyday life
Richard Osman has lived with a rare eye condition since birth (Image: Getty)
Richard Osman has opened up about the long-standing health condition that has shaped his approach to television presenting. The TV host, 54, is best known for being a co-presenter on Pointless and is now a best-selling author. What fans may not know is that Osman has lived with nystagmus – a rare eye condition that significantly affects his vision – since birth.
Unlike most TV presenters who rely on autocues, Osman is unable to use them due to the nature of his condition. As a result, he must memorise his scripts in full before stepping in front of the camera. “I write my own script and I’ll learn it, then [on screen] my eyes can go wherever I want them to,” he told Radio Times. “It’s what I’ve always done. When I was at school, I just had to learn everything because I couldn’t see the board. So long as I’m not on autocue, I can relax.”
Osman has previously spoken publicly about the condition, particularly addressing the noticeable flickering of his eyes on screen. In 2013, he reassured fans by explaining the cause, and when asked whether it impacted everyday tasks, such as reading number plates, he admitted his eyesight was “too bad to drive.”
He also addressed a viewer’s comment on Twitter about not using an autocue, responding: “No autocue, so I never have to focus on one point. I hope it wasn’t too off-putting.”
In 2022, Osman stepped away from Pointless to focus on his writing career and other personal endeavours. The TV star has since become a best-selling author following the release of his debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, and its sequel, The Man Who Died Twice, which both topped the Sunday Times fiction bestseller list.
The presenter is unable to use an autocue due to the nature of his condition (Image: BBC)
Osman released two more books in the series in 2022 and 2023, while the fifth instalment, The Impossible Fortune, hit shelves on Thursday (September 2025).
Commemorating the book’s release, Osman declared that the “gang is officially BACK”.
He said: “In the books business, the day your book is published is called ‘pub day’. As opposed to the television business where every day was ‘pub day’. Can’t wait for you to get reading and see what mischief Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are up to this time. Other friends are also back.”
The popularity of The Thursday Murder Club led to the Netflix film adaptation, released in August 2025. The star-studded cast features Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie.
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