Richard Osman's Visual Condition Shapes Publishing Approach for Bestselling Novels
Television presenter and author Richard Osman has revealed how his lifelong eye condition directly influenced a significant career decision regarding his popular Thursday Murder Club book series. The House of Games and Pointless host, 55, was born with nystagmus, an involuntary eye movement disorder that causes visual impairment and affects approximately one in 1,500 people according to Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Living with "Dancing Eyes" Since Birth
Osman describes his condition as similar to "driving in dense fog," explaining that while he can perceive objects, everything appears blurred without sharp definition. "I can see that there are things there, but everything is blurred," he said. "Nothing has sharp definition. Lights have huge halos that blind you. I've had it since birth so that's all I know."
The condition, often called "wobbling" or "dancing eyes," means Osman cannot read autocues during television recordings and must instead rely on being "more reactive to what's going on" during filming. He frequently finds himself "constantly moving from left to right" as he copes with the visual challenges.
From Classroom Challenge to Literary Success
Osman maintains that not being able to read the blackboard at school made him become "unbelievably good" at listening, a skill that has served him well throughout his career. This visual impairment also triggered a significant decision regarding his writing career after the phenomenal success of his debut novel.
In 2020, Osman published The Thursday Murder Club, which the Guardian dubbed the "fastest selling adult crime debut." The book's success spawned four additional novels, a Netflix film adaptation, and a subsequent series titled We Solve Murders.
Commitment to Accessibility in Publishing
During an appearance on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, Osman disclosed that he ensures each of his novels receives a large print edition to assist readers with visual impairments. "I always make sure there are large print versions of all the books as well, in all of the different territories," he explained. "That is important to me."
When questioned about font choices in his publications, Osman noted that while his books use the standard Penguin Random House Garamond font, he reviews galley proofs beforehand. "They showed me other fonts and none of them are particularly more useful than any of the others for me," he said, adding that font size remains the crucial accessibility factor.
Public Clarification and Personal Struggles
Osman first publicly addressed his condition in 2013 after Pointless viewers expressed concern that he appeared to be "shaking" on screen, sparking fears he might have Parkinson's Disease. Taking to social media platform X, he clarified: "And for anyone asking, I promise I wasn't shaking. I have a condition called nystagmus which makes my eyes constantly flicker."
The presenter has also spoken frankly about his battle with an eating addiction, which he attributes to his father's departure during his childhood. Appearing on Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast, he revealed that he questions whether there will ever come a time when he's completely free from it, though he currently feels "comfortable with everything."
Osman receives support from a therapist named Bruce, who has offered additional understanding of the circumstances. "I talk to Bruce about it all the time," Osman shared, "and he says, 'Well, you're always going to be an addict. You can't [stop being one] because you started when you were nine. You're not suddenly going to not be one.'"
Through both his television work and literary career, Richard Osman continues to demonstrate how personal challenges can inspire meaningful professional decisions that benefit wider communities, particularly those sharing similar visual impairments.
