Stars line up to support BBC Asian Network

A host of leading celebrities are joining forces urging the BBC to halt the closure of the Asian Network.

Stars including actress Shilpa Shetty, boxer Amir Khan and Lord Dholakia OBE are among the entertainment stars, actors and peers signing a letter, published in today’s Guardian newspaper.

In the letter to the BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, all signatories expressed their “shock” at the BBC’s decision to shut the national station.

The letter, published in full in the Guardian, says that the Asian Network is a “key platform” for the national Asian community “and offers creative British Asian talent an outlet which is demonstrably under-represented in the more mainstream BBC. This would all be tragically lost if these proposals are agreed”.

The decision to shut both the Asian Network and 6 Music were part of a strategy review by the BBC’s director general, Mark Thompson, published last week.

The entertainment stars, actors and peers signing a letter of support:
Lord Dholakia OBE
Lord Kamlesh Patel
Sir Mota Singh QC
Dave Prentis, General secretary, Unison
Shilpa Shetty, Actress
Meera Syal, Actress
Sanjeev Bhaskar, Actor
Gurinder Chadha, Film director
Amir Khan, Boxer & olympic medal winner
Jeremy Dear, NUJ
Alison Wenham, Chief executive, Association Of Independent Music
Nitin Ganatra, Actor
Tom Watson MP
Khalid Mahmood MP
M I A, Artist/musician
Jay Sean, Artist
Shazia Mirza, Comedian
Laila Rouass, Actress
Surinder Singh Purewal, General secretary, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Southall.
Dr Imam Abdul Jalil Sajid, President of the National association of the British Pakistanis, chairman of the Muslim Council For Religious And Racial Harmony
Mohan Singh Neiyyar, General secretary, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Hounslow,
Karan Billimoria, Founder & chairman of Cobra Beer & independent crossbench peer
Mohammed Yaqub Khan, General secretary, Pakistan Association, Leicester
Sue Harris, NUJ
Manish Bhasin, Broadcaster
Vikram Solanki, Cricketer
Ammo Talwar MBE, Director, Punch Records
Nina Wadia, Actress
Harry Anand, Artist/producer
Manzoor Moghal MBE, Chairman, Mulism Forum
Rav Singh, Journalist & broadcaster
Jatinder Verma, Artistic director, Tara Arts
Riz Ahmed, Actor/musician
Charan Gill, Entrepreneur
Asian Dub Foundation, Artists/musicians
Kulvinder Ghir, Comedian
Deepak Verma, Actor
Tigerstyle, Music producers
Mark Elliot, Actor
Taz Stereo Nation, Artist/musician
Dr Shiv Pande MBE
Sunny Hundal, Journalist and blogger
Channi Singh of Alaap, Artist/musician
Harri Dhillon, Actor
Kamran Ahmed, Managing director, Moviebox Records
Punjabi MC, Artist/musician
Ajay Chopra, Artistic director, London Mela
Preeya Kalidas, Actress
Rishi Rich, Artist/musician
Jags Klimax, Artist/musician
Bal Kumar, Realtone Records
Mumzy Stranger, Artist/musician
Apache Indian, Artist/musician
Bishi, Artist/musician
Vijay Bhatt ��� Achanak, Artist/musician
Aziz Ibrahim, Musician, The Stone Roses/Simply Red
Jassi Sidhu, Artist/musician
Waleed Jhangir, Promoter/manager
Imran Ahmed, Cardiff Multicultural Mela
Jaz Dhami, Artist/musician
Ninder Johal, CEO, Nachural Records
Johnny Kalsi ��� The Dhol Foundation, Artist/musician
VIP Records Scotland
Himesh Patel, Actor
Skinder Hundal, CEO, New Arts Exchange, Nottingham
Ashok Suman, CEO, UK Box Office/Gurdas Mann
Abs Shaid, The UK Asian Music Awards
Raj Ghai, Media Moguls
Amarpal Gaind, Head of operations Europe, Saregama
Jody Gillet, Editor, Mondomix
Surinder Rattan, Artist/musician
Rishi Madhani, CEO, 4Play Records
Reena Combo, Desi Donors
Raghav, Artist/musician
Niraj Chag, Artist/Musician
Bindya Solanki, Actress
Vanley Burke, Visual artist
B21 Artist/musicians
Graham Breakwell, Access All Areas
Uzma Johal, Director, Threshold TV Studios
Harminder Berman, Glasgow Mela
Henderson Mullin, CEO, Writing East Midlands
Frantic Kam, Artsist/musician
Keith Khan, Cultural broker
Vipen Kumar, VIP Records
Laurent Delaye, Laurent Delaye Gallery London
Peter Jenkinson OBE, Cultural broker
Tru Skool, Artist/musician
Ben Pugh, Producer, Bradford Mela
Ranjana Ghatak, Artist
Sukhy Johal, MBE, Director, Culture Nottingham
Mark Gifford, Director, Asha Centre
Al Noor, Artistic Director, Shisha
Usha Sood, Head barrister, Trent Chambers
Ali Zaidi, Artistic director, Moti Roti
Andrew Howell, International and cultural broker
Piali Ray, Director, Sampad Arts
Alan James, Hold Tight Productions
Louise Clements, Senior curator, Quad
Nigel Singh, CEO, Audience Central
Sandeep Raval, Musician/artist
Eugene Skeef FRSA, Artist
Harmage Singh Kalirai, Freelance theatre director
Tasawar Bashir, Curator
Kamraan Ahmed, Moviebox Group
Shabbir Ahmed, Moviebox Group
Shin DCS, Artist/musician
Sukshinder Shinda, Artist/musician
Jazzy B, Artist/musician
Aman Hayer, Artist/musician
Bhota Jagpal, B21 Artist/musician
Bally Jagpal, B21 Artist/musician
Ravi Bal Artist/musician
Kuldeep Manak, Artist/musician
Master Saleem, Artist/musician
Shazia Manzoor, Artist/musician
DJ Vix Artist/musician
Amrinder Gill Artist/musician
Sardool Sikander, Artist/musician
Manak-E, Artist/musician
The Dark MC Artist/musician
Abrar Ul Haq Artist/musician
Nirmal Sidhu Artist/musician
Kami K, Artist/musician
Hunterz Artist/musician
Roach Killa Artist/musician
ADH, Artist/musician
Miss Pooja, Artist/musician
Mona Singh, Artist/musician
Sunil Kalyan Artist/musician
Labh Janjua Artist/musician
Lehmber Hussainpuri, Artist/musician
Angrej Ali, Artist/musician
The Kalyan, Artist/musician
Preet Harpal, Artist/musician
Bharat Goel, Artist/musician
Sardara Gill Artist/musician
KS Bhamrah, Artist/musician
Ali Haider, Artist/musician
Hans Raj Hans, Artist/musician
Bhinda Aujla Artist/musician
XLNC, Artist/musician
Shehzad Roy, Artist/musician
AS Kang, Artist/musician
Sajjad Ali, Artist/musician
Amit Rai Artist/musician
Surrinder Rattan Artist/musician
Harry Anand Artist/musician
Gippy Grewal, Artist/musician
Geeta Zaildar, Artist/musician
Jelly Manjeetpuri, Artist/musician
Surjit Khan, Artist/musician
Debi Makhsoospuri, Artist/musician
Rana Sahota, Artist/musician
Yugraj, Artist/musician
Amir Jamal, Artist/musician
Nachhatar Gill, Artist/musician
Mangi Mahal, Artist/musician