Kaley Cuoco says fiancé had never heard of Big Bang Theory before meeting her and refuses to watch it

Kaley Cuoco has revealed her fiancé had 'no idea' about her role in The Big Bang Theory when they first met.

The actress, 40, starred in the hit US sitcom for over a decade as Penny Hofstadter and the role has defined her acting career.

Cuoco's partner Tom Pelphrey wasn't familiar with her role though, leaving him confused when his family kept referring to his girlfriend as Penny.

'He had no idea about it when we met. The first time I met Tom's family his mom's partner kept calling me Penny,' the 40-year-old star said on The Graham Norton Show.

'I didn't say anything because I thought it was sweet, but I could see Tom looking confused, and when we got in the car he said, "I am so sorry, I told him your name so I've no idea why he called you Penny all day".'

Tom Pelphrey and Kaley Cuoco have been dating since 2022 (JC Olivera/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

This exchange led to Cuoco explaining her Big Bang Theory fame to Pelphrey, 43, but he's still yet to watch her in the sitcom.

The pair have been dating since 2022 and are parents to daughter Matilda, two, who was born in March 2023. The following year Pelphrey popped the question.

Cuoco has admitted she met her fiancé - who has starred in Ozark and Marvel's Iron Fist - shortly after the lowest point of her life in April 2022.

The actress - who previously dated her Big Bang Theory co-star Johnny Galecki - was in the midst of finalising her divorce from Karl Cook, her second husband, following three years of marriage. Cuoco was married to tennis player Ryan Sweeting from 2013 until 2015.

Still living in their marital home at the time, Cuoco struggled to move forward and previously told the Armchair Expert podcast: 'I was on the floor sobbing, thinking I ruined my whole life.

'That is the lowest point of my life I ever had. I couldn't get up. I was so depressed.'

Kaley played Penny in the hit US sitcom (CBS)

Despite the hard time, Cuoco has insisted she has nothing bad to say about her ex-husband, branding him 'amazing'.

The former couple's divorce was eventually finalised and they have both since moved on with new partners.

Cook is now married to Mackenzie Drazan, the founder of MiResource, who he began dating in September 2022.

And, Cuoco met her currently fiancé weeks later, while attending the fourth season premiere of his Netflix show Ozark in New York, after her manager encouraged her to do so.