Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE

Sanjeev Bhaskar enjoyed huge success with The Kumars at No.42, in which he hosted a chat show from the family living room. The show won an Emmy Award, and the personal approval of Nelson Mandela who enjoyed it so much he invited the cast to interview him in his own home. He also solves cold cases in the detective drama Unforgotten and stars in the adaption of The Sandman.

After an early career in marketing with IBM, Sanjeev first made his name with the ensemble sketch show Goodness Gracious Me. Starring Meera Syal, to whom he is now married, Kulvinder Ghir and Nina Wadia, the show transferred from radio to television, becoming a cult favourite and a milestone in British comedy, and went on to play to sell-out audiences on tour.

On stage, he has played King Arthur in Spamalot and unexpectedly hosted Steven Berkoff’s Saddam Hussein in Dinner with Saddam. On the big screen he has appeared in Anita and Me, The Zero Theorem, Notting Hill, and London Boulevard. His other television credits include Doctor Who, The Indian Doctor, a host of appearances in comedy and drama shows, plus he’s fronted documentaries on India and Indian cinema. He is also Chancellor of the University of Sussex.