YouTubers Mawaan Rizwan and Parle Patel will be hosting radio shows on BBC Asian Network, it was announced earlier this month.
Mawaan will be cohosting his show with comedian Emily Lloyd-Saini, who debuted her first stand-up comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. Their show will be on Monday nights at 9pm, starting from 9 January 2017.
“I’m ridiculously excited to be joining BBC Asian Network,” said Emily in a press release, “especially as I’ll be cohosting with one of my favourite people in the world, Mawaan Rizwan. I’m mostly looking forward to finding out who’s listening, discovering new British Asian music, and having lots of fun with Mawaan, and mostly nervous about my Indian family listening in and realising how bad my Punjabi is.”
Parle Patel will be presenting a self-titled programme every Sunday night (from 10pm to midnight) featuring “the best in upfront Gujarati pop and Bollywood beats”. His first show will be on 6 November.
Brace yourself for the maddest mix of Britsh Asian, Gujarati & Desi beats complimented by my buk buk!
10pm
Sun 6/11/16@bbcasiannetwork 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pz3Q9hCQAi— Parle Official (@planetParle) October 22, 2016
“I feel honoured, excited, and thrilled to join my favourite Asian radio station,” said Parle. “Growing up listening to the Asian Network makes it all the more exciting. I look forward to contributing to the world of radio as a presenter – something I’ve dreamed of doing since I was ten!”
The changes to BBC Asian Network are the result of an update to its service licence agreement. The rule that the station should broadcast at least 20 hours of South Asian-language programmes a week has been lifted to allow the station to focus on reaching a younger British Asian audience.
Controller Bob Shennan said: “These changes to BBC Asian Network’s Service Licence are necessary to help the station evolve its unique offer for the younger British Asian community whilst remaining as distinctive and relevant as ever.”
Want more?
Mawaan recently hosted a documentary for BBC Three exploring the role of drugs in religion. Alternatively, find out more about new Wildseed Studios film The Darkest Dawn, released today!
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