Dr Ranj Singh says his life ‘fractured and fell apart’ after he ended his seven-year marriage and came out as gay at the age of 30… before finding his ‘chosen family’ within the LGBT community
Dr Ranj Singh says his life ‘shattered and fell apart’ after coming out as gay; this decision resulted in the end of his seven-year marriage.
The TV doctor, who regularly appeared on daytime shows This Morning and Morning Live, thought she had it all after exchanging vows with pharmacist Sulvinder Samra in 2005.
The wedding, a traditional Sikh ceremony, coincided with Singh’s burgeoning career as an NHS clinician specializing in pediatric emergency medicine.
But it took therapy for Singh, 46, to realize that despite the prosperous life he had built for himself, he was not ‘the person I thought I should be or the person I thought I would be’.
‘I always had the career I wanted, I always wanted to have a home of my own,’ he said. Big Problem. ‘I had ticked all my boxes. So the real question was: Why am I still not 100 percent happy?
‘Why does it still feel like something isn’t right? That’s when therapy revealed all of this.’
Dr Ranj Singh says his life ‘shattered and fell apart’ after coming out as gay; This decision resulted in the end of his seven-year marriage
Born and raised in a Sikh family, Singh said he felt like everything was “falling apart” before coming out to his wife in 2009.
She added: ‘I was married and obviously that relationship fell apart and then it started to concern everyone else, my friends and family.
‘This perfect life you dreamed of, hoped for, dreamed of and worked for is not your perfect life.’
Fortunately, he was given support and encouragement by his siblings, to whom he described being relieved of the burden as a ‘beautiful moment’.
‘Their reactions were incredible,’ he said Metro ‘They found the news surprising and had questions, but their emotions consisted of love, support and acceptance.
‘It took me another 10 years to have this conversation with my parents. Like anyone who reveals their true self to the people they care about most, I was afraid of how they might react. ‘I didn’t want to hurt them.’
He added: ‘I prepared myself for the worst but what happened next was beyond my wildest dreams. “We love you no matter what,” my father said softly. My mother was visibly shaken, but nodded in agreement.
‘You are our son and nothing will change that. Why didn’t you tell us before? “We could have been with you too,” he said.
‘I have never felt more love and pride for my parents than in that moment. Their unconditional acceptance was everything I ever needed.’
In 2018, his ex-wife’s father, Jemera Samra, broke the family’s silence after his ex-son-in-law’s appearance as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing made them realize they were still not over what happened to them.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Samra said: ‘It’s been so many years but every time I see it on TV I either turn it off, change the channels or leave the room. It still brings back so many painful memories for me.
‘The marriage and why they divorced had a devastating impact on us all. We never expected something like this to happen, and to be honest, it’s still a bit hard for me. Frankly, I’ve accepted it, but it’s still difficult.’
The TV doctor thought he had it all after exchanging vows with pharmacist Sulvinder Samra (pictured) in a traditional Sikh ceremony in 2005.
TV doctor is now dating actor James Colebrook after finding her ‘chosen family’ within the LGBTQ community
Sulvinder She met the clinician after qualifying as a doctor at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Medical School in 2003 and they dated for a year before he popped the question.
The couple married in a traditional Sikh ceremony on May 28, 2006, followed by a Western wedding ceremony and a grand reception in the evening.
The wedding certificates list the venue as Colwich Hall Hotel, the magnificent Georgian building and ancestral home of Lord Byron, set in 60 acres of parkland on the outskirts of Nottingham.
The couple moved to London and set up home in a £500,000 flat in East Dulwich, South East London.
However, the relationship soured as Singh gradually came to terms with his sexuality and Sulvinder moved back to Nottinghamshire. They divorced in 2011.
The TV doctor is now in a relationship with actor James Colebrook and confirmed their relationship on Instagram in 2025 after finding her ‘chosen family’ within the LGBTQ community.
He told The Big Issue about being accepted within the gay community: ‘It was a feeling like my wings finally spreading and then taking off.
‘Yes, I know how cheesy it sounds, but there’s no other way to describe it. ‘I need to discover and celebrate my identity, find my tribe and chosen family in the LGBT+ community, and truly pursue my passions.’
