Goodness Gracious Me News

'In our bedsit days, we'd dare each other to eat ridiculous combinations of things on pizza' Interviews by Rhiannon Harries KALPESH LATHIGRA Where there's a Will: Bhaskar, left, met Ganatra at a 'politically incorrect' Shakespeare workshop for Asian actors enlarge Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE, 45, is a comedian, writer and actor best known for the BBC ...

Meera Syal had to fight to make it as a British-Asian actor and writer - and now she goes to Prince Charles's parties.

SHE has been dubbed the new Pauline Fowler and she is certainly cooking up a storm as Zainab Masood.

AINSDALE girl, Laura Tyrer returns to her home turf this week to perform in the No.1 UK tour of Chicago.

EASTENDERS star Nina Wadia said her on-screen son quickly won her over by saying she looks too young to play his crinkly mum.

YOUNG entrepreneurs, fledgling firms and budding business brains from the region will be honoured at a celebrity-packed awards ceremony and conference in Leeds.

Writer and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar has been appointed the new Chancellor of the University of Sussex.

Kumars star Meera Syal is to join medical drama Holby City as a doctor. The 47-year-old actress, who played the granny in the hit TV sitcom, will join the BBC1's prime-time medical drama in the summer.

It sounds like a fantasy dinner party guest list a ' comedians Phill Jupitus and Marcus Brigstocke and Dave Lamb, the voice of Come Dine With Me.

The star of hit TV comedy Goodness Gracious Me has been made chancellor of the University of Sussex .

Comedian Shazia Mirza and Meera Syal are set to perform at The Drum this weekend.

Sanjeev Bhaskar is out of his comfort zone and loving it. The star of TV comedies including Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42, Bhaskar is now turning his hand to treading the boards on stage - " and ...

Sanjeev Bhaskar: "Improv exercises a different part of your brain" enlarge In the UK, if we think of improvised comedy we normally think of Paul Merton.

Syal and Bhaskar said they were "stunned and completely broken hearted about Sharat's death". They said: "He was not just a gifted writer and a long-standing colleague and friend.

Sharat Sardana, 40, died in a London hospital on Tuesday. Reports said that the writer contracted a streptococcal virus and collapsed at the home of his 82-year-old father in Wanstead, London, on Friday.

THE Kumars' Meera Syal yesterday warned this year could be the worst for quality drama as TV chiefs opt for cheaper reality shows instead.