Robert Joseph Anthony Beckett was born on 2 January 1986 in Mottingham, South East London. He grew up in a large, lively working-class household as one of five brothers. He has spoken openly about struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia at school, which he says shaped his self-deprecating comedic style.

Before comedy, Beckett worked various jobs, including on Columbia Road flower market from age 14, as a barman and office temp. He began stand-up comedy in 2009, quickly won several new-act competitions, and made his solo Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2012 with Rob Beckett’s Summer Holiday.

He built a broadcasting career co-hosting I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! NOW! on ITV2 (2012–2014), narrating Celebs Go Dating, and serving as a team captain on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats (2016–2021). He also presented BBC One‘s All Together Now (with Geri Halliwell) and Wedding Day Winners (with Lorraine Kelly), both in 2018. Since 2019, he has co-hosted Sky’s Rob & Romesh Vs with fellow comedian Romesh Ranganathan.

Beckett married Louise Watts, a history teacher, in 2015. The couple have two daughters together, whose identities they keep out of the public eye.