ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Asian Network launches Silver Street,
the Nation's first Asian radio soap
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• Silver Street starts 24 May 2004 and continues
Monday to Friday, with a weekend omnibus
• Created by British Asian writers and producers
• Cast to include Hema Mangoo, Jetinder Summan, Clive Wedderburn
and Bharti Patel
• More than £1 million committed to the project
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The UK's first daily Asian radio drama starts in May
on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Asian Network.
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Silver Street follows the lives of young Asians living
in a Midlands city and offers a fresh, fast-moving and topical portrayal
of modern Asian life.
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The ambitious project has drawn together some of the
best British Asian talent in writing, production and performance, and
formed a new team in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Drama.
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The show's cast of rising stars and experienced faces
includes:
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film, stage and television actor Jetinder Summan
and actresses Hema Mangoo and Bharti Patel;
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long-term regular on The Bill, Clive Wedderburn;
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young stage actor Dharmesh Patel;
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and Ashvin-Kumar Joshi who recently appeared
in the film Triads, Yardies, and Onion Bhajees.
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Silver Street storylines will tackle the issues and
challenges facing the British Asian community in a fresh and entertaining
way.
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Property developers, club promoters, a potential Asian
football star and families with hopes, ambitions and secrets feature
amongst the drama's characters.
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Their stories are played out against the backdrop of
urban Britain - the municipal park, community centre and restaurants
– with a strong soundtrack, featuring newly commissioned music
from prominent Asian artists Shri (of Badmarsh & Shri) and
Niraj Chag.
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More than £1 million is being invested in the
project which provides five daily, ten-minute episodes, broadcast Monday
to Friday and repeated as an omnibus at the weekend.
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The show airs twice a day, once during Sonia Deol's
popular morning talk show and then in Ray Khan's drivetime show.
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Vijay Sharma, Head of The Asian Network, says: "This
is great news for The Asian Network as we expect Silver Street to become
a key part of how we explore the lives and concerns of Asians across
the country."
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Gordon House, Head of Radio Drama, adds: "I'm
delighted that the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ is showing its commitment to the Asian Network
by commissioning a radio soap across the week.
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"It's going to be realistic, dramatic and –
I hope – great entertainment! We want it to become a fixed point
in people's lives."
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Silver Street is a fictitious neighbourhood in the West
Midlands but could easily be Brick Lane in London or Belgrave Road in
Leicester.
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It is a street that has become synonymous with the whole
area around a pulsating high street of fabric shops and restaurants.
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It's a place where new money is changing the make-up
of the community and regeneration is both an opportunity and a threat.
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ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Asian Network is available on DAB digital radio,
on Freeview channel 79, Sky Digital channel 869, NTL channel 867, Telewest
channel 912 and via the internet at .
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It is also available on medium wave in parts of the
Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire.
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Notes to Editors
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Pictures available from the website or contact ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Picture Publicity
via Contact Us on the left of this page.
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