Meera Syal was born in Wolverhampton and was educated at Manchester University where she read English and drama, gaining a double first.

Her career began at the Royal Court, and she quickly graduated to screenwriting – penning Bhaji on the Beach in 1993 and My Sister Wife in 1994 – as well as writing and performing in the pioneering comedy sketch-show The Real McCoy in the early 1990s.

  In 1996 Syal joined the cast and writing team of the sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, which ran until 2001, when she began her role as grandmother Ummi in the chat show The Kumars at No. 42.

  She is also a novelist, with two of her books being adapted for the screen: Anita and Me (2002) and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee (2005).

  Her TV and film credits include Beautiful People), Dr Who, Horrible Histories, Back To Life, Doctor Strange, Paddington 2 and Yesterday.