Ruby Wax reveals the 'cruel' jokes that brought her and Alan Rickman closer as she discusses wild celeb encounters, cancel culture and why she'd never revive her chat show

Ruby Wax has opened up about the 'cruel' jokes that brought her closer to the late Alan Rickman as she reflected on the everchanging celebrity landscape and cancel culture. The pair were friends for nearly 40 years, even briefly living together after meeting during their time at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Ruby and Alan, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2016, bonded over their wicked sense of humour, with the comedienne telling the Daily Mail: 'I used to send Alan Rickman photos of people that were... Let's just say they were, horizontally challenged.'Rickman and I would laugh. That was cruel. I once showed it to an American, and they looked at me in horror.'Although It wasn't just that, in the picture they were dressed as a cat. So srange people, bizarre people, was our humor. 'And now you would really get in trouble for that. They'd say, "we have a right to wear that..."' Ruby Wax revealed the 'cruel' jokes that brought her closer to the late Alan Rickman as she reflected on the everchanging celebrity landscape and cancel culture (pictured in 2011)While Ruby is famously outspoken, she isn't afraid of being cancelled, as she mused: 'I think that I speak directly to people who don't feel so comfortable in their skin, and that's compassion for them. I don't think anybody's ever been ridiculed for that.'I will say at first, before they have to say it. And I love when people tell me their truth.'I think you can be attacked. I mean celebrities because of what side they're on in the Israeli-Gaza conflict are being "cancelled."'But I don't get any of that, or I don't read it. I might get it - but nobody tells me!' Ruby is best known for her groundbreaking and provocative television shows in the Nineties that redefined celebrity interviews. Yet while she's spoken to hundreds of celebrities over the years, there's one who sticks out the most – the late Carrie Fisher. Ruby explained that she befriended the Star Wars icon instantly, and the pair stayed in touch until Carrie died from a cardiac arrest in December 2016, 11 months after the loss of Ruby's friend Alan. 'When Carrie spoke, it was perfect for a novel,' Ruby mused. She didn't have to do any editing, language just flowed out of her. 'We became best friends for 35 years. At the end of the interview, she said, "let's go shopping," and we stayed friends all that time. I used the interview to flirt and to get her number!' Conversely, she also will never forget her interview with Donald Trump, which she branded a 'horror show'. Ruby previously revealed the infamous 2000 interview only lasted five minutes, after she inadvertently offended him by laughing when he declared his dream to become president of the United States, resulting in him branding her the 'most obnoxious person' he'd ever met. She revealed her dream interview would be with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as she mused: 'I wonder how much PR has come down on them to say, keep your mouth shut.' Ruby, who has interviewed Sarah Ferguson and was friendly with Princess Diana, continued: 'I would have had a great interview with Harry. I don't know her [Meghan].'But I knew him when he was a little boy, so I think he'd feel comfortable with me. Though Oprah did a really great job, she got a lot out of them!' While she's spoken to hundreds of celebrities over the years, there's one who sticks out the most - the late Carrie Fisher - who Ruby befriended after interviewing (pictured in 2014) Conversely, she also will never forget her 2000 interview with Donald Trump, which she branded a 'horror show'Yet while Ruby may still have stars she wished she'd interviewed, she's officially said goodbye to her chat show days. On why she wouldn't revive her shows, Ruby explained: 'I don't think you could, because we could stay weeks with the guests, sometimes I'd move in with them. 'I was told I had five minutes, but if you keep flirting, and you keep your mouth moving, and you entertain then, then sometimes they'll say, "can she come home with me?" And so it took off. 'You couldn't do that anymore. You have PR people watching and they're skeptical and they'd be afraid that I'd expose something.'I always said you can cut out anything you want in the interviews. We always said that, but they never did.'Ruby would also refuse to adapt more traditional chat show format, such as The Graham Norton or Jonathan Ross Show. 'I couldn't do that,' she explained. 'That's not my forte. I can't do small talk. What I loved [with my shows] is you saw a relationship born, and sometimes die!' Currently Ruby is on the road with her Absolutely Famous tour, an unscripted retrospective in which she looks back at her iconic celebrity interviews. Ruby is also set to appear at The Big Retreat Cambridgeshire this weekend, an adult-only feel-good festival where wellbeing, adventure, live music and food come together for the weekend.The broadcaster will be taking to the stage for a talk about her life and career and her mental health. Ruby, who has a master's degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, has been open about her struggles with bipolar disorder and depression and is a vocal mental health advocate. She has spoken many times at the festival, and shared: 'It's great. There's yoga tents, there's different kind of recipe tents, there's activities going on that are sensational. 'And then there's me! I think people are interested in the fact that I do retreats, and that I've taken what I learned at Oxford and put it into practice.' Ruby is giving a talk at The Big Retreat Cambridgeshire, an adult-only feel-good festival where wellbeing, adventure, live music and food come together for the weekendRuby has no qualms about being vulnerable on stage either, as she mused: 'If I open my mouth, they'll open their mouth. It's like if I strip off, they'll strip off. 'So I think by being really direct they get the idea that there's no shame in anything.'Ruby also explained how she deals with her mental health while juggling a career that is often unpredictable and ever-changing. 'Sometimes I can't deal with it,' Ruby mused. 'So I have RTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, a treatment that sends brief magnetic waves to specific areas of the brain) and I'm on antidepressants.'I do find it a struggle, but my happy place is in front of people. It's ironic, I don't like being alone at home, but put me in front of a thousand people, and I'm at home.'The Big Retreat Cambridge is being held in the parklands of Abbot’s Ripton Estate and takes place this weekend, September 11-13. Part music festival, part wellbeing escape and part foodie weekend, guests can dip into hundreds of experiences including yoga, Pilates, wild swimming, breathwork, meditation, creative workshops and cookery demonstrations, alongside a packed programme of talks and live music.Weekend tickets start from £269, with day tickets from £79 but the Daily Mail readers can get a 20 per cent discount using the code MAIL20. Visit www.bigretreatcambridgeshire.com for more information and tickets.