BBC Asian Network Comedy night to air on BBC iPlayer
Posted On February , 2025

A stand-up comedy show featuring some of the best comedic talent is set to air on BBC iPlayer.
The BBC Asian Network Comedy show, recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre in London, was hosted by Nikita Kanda and SMASHBengali.
The night featured comedians Shalaka Kurup, Bas Rahman, Dinesh Nathan, and headliner Fatiha El-Ghorri.
Ms Kurup, who moved to the UK, shared her observations about British culture.
She said: “I’ve learnt a lot to be here and to integrate into this country, I’ve learnt the important things to fit in and the most important thing that I’ve learnt is that British people love to struggle… like they love to struggle.
Do you know that people in this country voluntarily with their whole hearts… camp?”
Ms Rahman entertained the audience with her impressions of her dad.
She said: “My dad was like – ‘Look what their teaching the kids these days!’
By the way, that was my impression of my dad because despite having Pakistani parents, I’m a complete coconut so I don’t know how to do a Pakistani accent, right, to the point where I try to do one in front of my parents and they tell me to stop being racist.”
Mr Nathan shared his experiences of being mistaken for a Black person.
He said: “I confuse people when I do the Indian accent normally because I look Black… Half of you lot were looking like Asian Network, what’s he doing on?!
Everyone thinks I’m Black, even my own lot think I’m Black. I found this out because I got turned away from this party, and they were like it’s an Asian party.
I was like I know, do you really think people are trying to gatecrash Dilip’s 50th?!”
Ms El-Ghorri, who is from Morocco, compared her home country to Ladbroke Grove.
She said: “So I’m from Morocco, has anyone ever been to Morocco? Has anyone ever been to Ladbroke Grove?
You’ve also been Morocco hunny!”
And Ms El-Ghorri talked about her sister, who attended her show.
She said: “My family are mental right, they know I do comedy, obviously, but I’ve never invited them to gigs because one time my sister turned up and she ruined the night.
I’m on stage she starts going ‘Fatiha, it’s your sister Fatiha, look at me Fatiha, very funny Fatiha, ha ha ha’ – I called security.”
Watch Asian Network Comedy on BBC iPlayer from 8am on Friday, February 21st.
It will also air on BBC Three on Friday, February 28, at 10.25pm and on BBC Sounds on Tuesday, March 4th.