Meera Syal

We have another show that, unlike The Fast Show Special, did film all new sketches for the BBC Two anniversary as we welcomed back the brilliant Goodness Gracious Me. It felt to me as if writers and stars Nina Wadia, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Kulvinder Ghir had something to prove as almost every sketch had some value to it. All of the favourite characters were back from Mr Everything is Indian who had his theories on Sherlock to the overbearing mother who claimed she could make an Apple Phone from an aubergine. An incredibly timely sketch saw the Kapoor/Coopers attempting to sign up for UKip before realising that they'd been recruited purely because they were immigrants. In line with the celebration of the channel's comedy output, the team also presented their own take on the 'Class Sketch' from The Frost Report. Rather than just being a jokes-only sketch show, Goodness Gracious Me always had much more to say about the way that the Asian population were treated in Britain. A sketch focusing on an Indian newspaper, brilliantly known as The Delhi Mail poked fun at the ludicrous nature of print journalism in this country. I'm glad that this sketch had the most time devoted to it as every joke and observation was cleverly executed to the point that I wondered why anybody would ever by The Daily Mail in the first place. Obviously not everything worked, I wasn't personally a fan of the group's take on Mary Poppins, but there was more than enough evidence here that the team are still at the top of their game. As the show finished with a brilliant spoof of Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines', I was crossing my fingers that this reunion special was acting as a pilot for a possible new series. Based on the evidence in this programme alone, Goodness Gracious Me is still funnier and cleverer than the majority of current sketch shows and I for one would welcome its return.

Meera Syal now part of English GCSE

Wolverhampton-born Meera Syal and Indian-born George Orwell rub shoulders with Shakespeare and Dickens in a new GCSE English literature book list.

Radio Times review

Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia and "token white" Dave Lamb have lost none of their comedic talent since this sketch show last graced our screens in 2001. Shown as part of BBC Two's 50th anniversary celebrations, this one-off is a selection of new sketches featuring familiar characters, including the man who believes everything has its origins in India (Sherlock and pretty well every other TV detective from Poirot to Columbo) and oh-so-British social climber Mr Kapoor (this time hoping to stand as a Ukip candidate for Parliament).

Among the new routines is an Indian version of Mary Poppins, a clever dig at one of our more right-wing newspapers in The Delhi Mail and a remake of The Frost Report's class sketch that almost works. It's not exactly subtle humour but the simple concept of taking Asian stereotypes and turning them on their heads is as relevant as ever.

Interview: Meera Syal on Goodness Gracious Me

The award-winning comedy show is back with a new one-off special. So we asked star Meera Syal for her favourite memories, and why she thinks it was so successful.

Meera Syal to co-star with Jack Black in US comedy

"I'm going off to LA to record a comedy series called The Brink for HBO with Jack Black, Tim Robbins and Austin Powers director Jay Roach," says the 52-year-old, who will also feature in the next series of Sky Arts comedy Psychobitches.

Meera Syal hits out at decision to ban all-male panels

Actress Meera Syal has become the latest star to voice concern over the BBC ban on all-male comedy panel shows.

Meera Syal interview

Meera Syal chats to TV Choice about reviving the hit comedy show Goodness Gracious Me.

Back after a seven-year absence, the Kumars return with some top-of-the-range acting talent dropping in on their downsized Hounslow home for a dysfunctional family grilling.

With Olivia Colman holding her own against an onslaught of inappropriate questions from Sanjeev (Sanjeev Bhaskar), Daniel Radcliffe getting his cheeks tweaked by Ummi (Meera Syal) and US comedian Chevy Chase quivering under the gaze of new landlady Hawney (Harvey Virdi) we're all set for the chuckles to pick up right where they left off.

Well, apart from the fact they're now on Sky, not the Beeb, so let's hope they haven't left too many of their old fans at home alone.

Radio Times review

Remember the Kumars? You should, because their BBC show The Kumars at No 42 (which ran from 2001 to 2006) was one of a kind, steering a path between Asian sitcom and cheeky chat show that occasionally teetered on the edge of shambles, but mostly paid rich dividends as celebrities squirmed in Sanjeev Bhaskar's hot seat and the ad libs zinged.

Since we last saw them, our fictional family have fallen on hard times, with Sanjeev, Dad (Vincent Ebrahim) and Ummi (Meera Syal) now living above Dad's gift shop in Hounslow. That hasn't affected the quality of their celebrity visitors, however, as Daniel Radcliffe, Olivia Colman and Chevy Chase pay a call.