Wax psychological
Undoubtedly Ruby Wachs's (you didn't think she was born with such a great stage name, did you?) unconventional upbringing went a long way to sculpting her offbeat style. She grew up in Chicago where her Austrian-born father ruled a hot dog empire. Her mother was the enforcer at home, constantly trying to keep Wax from skiving out of school and dance lessons. So Wax got out from under her mother's thumb by fleeing from an alternative high school in Chicago to a finishing school in Switzerland, and finally, to the streets of London. Her mother had to fly over to bring her home. Lack of education notwithstanding, Wax was accepted at a University in California to study Psychology. However, London stayed on her mind, and she dropped out to return to the old country, this time for good.

Wax acts
Most of us know her as that brash, outrageous (and possibly slightly annoying) American who harasses/interviews celebs. But before she was famous for her wry wit and red lips, Wax did some serious acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She quickly tired of always being cast as the wench, and her friend, actor Alan Rickman, convinced her to try her hand at comedy. She did a stint as a writer for Not the Nine O'Clock News and then became pals with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, joining them in Girls On Top. The experience led to her role as Script Editor for the fabulous Absolutely Fabulous.

Wax attacks
With a lorry load of series to her name, Wax has made a niche for herself by reinventing the chat show. She never takes a back seat to her guests. No matter if she's with Pamela Anderson or The Duchess of York, it's Wax that's the main attraction. The names of her shows give the game away: East Meets Wax, Ruby Wax Meets, The Full Wax, Wax Cracks, Ruby's Health Quest, Ruby, Hot Wax, Ruby Does the Business... There's only room for one ego on a Ruby Wax programme.

Ruby and The Duchess
Usually lauded for her stunts involving the sparkling stars she interviews, Wax received heavy criticism for her interview with Sarah Ferguson in 1997. More interested in the contents of Ferguson's cupboards than what The D of Y had to say, she all but ignored Ferguson's increasing discomfort. She finished the interview by kicking a worried Ferguson out of her own home and locking the doors while she stayed inside - presumably to continue her cupboard inspection in private. The critics were damned though, because the episode was watched by 14.8 million people and was later nominated for a BAFTA award.

Waxing lyrical
A favourite stunt of Wax's is to get her guests to sing. Not on a cosy sound-checked stage with lots of notice and preparation either. She persuaded Friends star Lisa Kudrow to do an impromptu Smelly Cat in the middle of Leicester Square, got Bette Midler to let loose on a department store escalator and convinced Imelda Marcos to try a rendition of Feelings, complete with piano accompaniment and Wax pulling faces in the background. These people should know better, but lucky for us they don't!