Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik admits she never watched the show before joining

The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik has admitted that she’d “never seen” the show before being cast.

The actress joined the CBS series during its third season in 2010 as Sheldon Cooper’s (Jim Parsons) awkward love interest, Amy Farrah Fowler.

Appearing on The Graham Norton Show on Friday (February 12) alongside Daniel Kaluuya, Adrian Lester and Sienna Miller, Mayim explained how she joined the US series without knowing “what it was” at the time of her audition.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“I left the industry for 12 years and I got a doctorate in neuroscience,” Mayim said.

“I wanted to experience life where you’re valued for what’s in between your ears and not just for what you can provide for other people. I was literally running out of health insurance and thought that if I could get a few small parts it would help.

“I’d never seen The Big Bang Theory and didn’t know what it was. I was cast and my life changed.”

Mayim appeared on the BBC One chat show to promote her new sitcom, Call Me Kat.

Inspired by Miranda, the series stars Mayim as a 39-year-old single lecturer who quits her job and opens a cat café — and it debuted to good ratings last month.

Mayim’s comments follow Big Bang Theory creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady revealing they disagreed over casting Jim Parsons following his audition.

Call Me Kat airs on Fox in the US. The Big Bang Theory aired on CBS and CBS All Access in the US. You can buy the complete boxset now on DVD and Blu-ray.