Richard Osman says meeting Ingrid Oliver was 'the best thing that ever happened to me' as he discusses how his eye condition shapes his writing

Richard Osman has publicly credited his wife, Ingrid Oliver, with transforming his life, calling meeting her the best thing that ever happened to him. The 54-year-old author, whose Thursday Murder Club series has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, opened up about their romance to Saga Magazine, describing how travel and shared experiences with Ingrid have enriched his life both personally and professionally.

Osman met Ingrid Oliver, a 48-year-old actress, in 2021 when she appeared as a guest on his BBC quiz show House of Games. The pair tied the knot in 2022, and Osman said their marriage has brought a new sense of joy to his work and his world. He noted that while he doesn7t mind traveling solo, his travels are "loads more fun" when Ingrid is by his side, sharing the experiences with the people and places they encounter.

Ingrid has read Osman7s books, including the Thursday Murder Club series, and is known to cry after finishing them. She reportedly finished The Impossible Fortune earlier in the day and rang Osman in tears, though she generally waits for final tweaks and proofreading before diving into a new manuscript. The Impossible Fortune is the fifth book in the series and is slated for release on September 25. A Netflix film adaptation of the first novel, featuring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie, has helped propel the books to a global audience. The couple has also celebrated Ingrid7s support as the series continues to expand its footprint on screen and page.

Osman also offered a candid assessment of how his eye condition, nystagmus, shapes the writing process. He described writing as "not hard" in absolute terms, but noted that his condition creates particular challenges when crafting large, intricate mysteries. Even with large font sizes, he must keep his work very close to the screen—typically within five or six inches. He described the process as intense and added that most of his writing takes place upstairs at home where everything is arranged to his preference, including his go-to snacks of mint tea and slices of dried mango. These routines, he said, help him maintain focus as he develops new twists and clues in the novels.

The Netflix adaptation of the first book has helped broaden Osman7s audience, with the film star-studded cast contributing to the series7 international appeal. The Impossible Fortune7s release later this year will continue to build momentum around the franchise, and Osman suggested that Ingrid7s presence in his life provides a steady counterbalance to the pressures of production, travel, and publicity.

Osman has spoken about the long path to meeting Ingrid. He revealed that he had pined for nearly a year before they finally connected, describing how a mutual friend helped him gauge Ingrid7s availability on a later attempt at contact. When they did meet on the House of Games set in 2021, Osman said he spent the day trying not to flirt, joking that he made eye contact with Ingrid less than with any other guest. Their connection quickly grew, and the couple moved in together within weeks of meeting. Ingrid7s cautious approach to marriage stems in part from a complicated family history; she had witnessed multiple marriages within her own family and did not want to rush into a commitment she wasn7t sure would endure.

The couple7s romance has also intersected with broader personal challenges. Osman has openly discussed past struggles with body image and an addiction to food, including attending therapy to address these issues. He has expressed belief that meaningful relationships can help people feel whole, noting that therapy helped him realize that the right person could complete his journey. Ingrid, for her part, had her own difficult path before their relationship began, including a protracted IVF journey that she described as brutal. She has said she pursued IVF several times before accepting that a relationship with Osman might be the right course, framing her eventual partnership with him as a turning point.

In interviews around their relationship, Osman has described the relationship as a team effort, with both partners contributing to a shared sense of happiness. He has said that bringing Ingrid into his life has been a source of happiness beyond his professional achievements, and that his children—from a prior relationship in his case—add to the sense of fulfillment he feels now. In a broader sense, the couple7s story has become part of the narrative around Osman7s ongoing success, with audience enthusiasm for the Thursday Murder Club expanding as new installments are published and new screen projects are released.

Overall, Osman7s remarks offer a window into how personal relationships can shape creative work. He described Ingrid as a steady source of support and inspiration, underscoring how love, stability, and a sense of partnership can feed a writer7s ability to conceive complex plots and sustain momentum across a long-running series. As The Impossible Fortune draws nearer to publication, and as the Netflix adaptation of the first novel broadens the franchise, Osman said that life with Ingrid has helped him approach his craft with renewed energy and a renewed sense of purpose.