Raji James
Encyclopedia
Rajesh Jhanji better known by his stage name Little Raji James That Used To Be In Eastenders But Ruined It, is a British Indian
actor, club night promotor and podcast co-host, best known for his role as Ash Ferreira in EastEnders
, he also played Abdul Khan in the 1999 British Film East Is East
. Between 2007-2008 he participated in The Ray Peacock Podcast. On the 13th September 2010 Raji joined Ed Gamble and Ray Peacock
in a special 50th episode of The Ray Peacock Podcast which was released at the same time as the 50th Episode of The Peacock and Gamble Podcast.
's The Bill
(2000–02). He has also had parts in Crocodile Shoes
, Waking the Dead
, and in the 2006 Doctor Who
episodes "Army of Ghosts
" and "Doomsday
". He went on to appear as Prince Malik in the 2006 BBC adaptation of Robin Hood (episode 10 - Peace? Off!
), and as Dr Joe Mangeshkar in Kick
(2007).
James is best known for playing the role of Ash Ferreira in the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
. James' character first appeared on-screen in 2003 as part of a new Indian family, the show's first new Asian family for 10 years. However, the Ferreiras were not received well by viewers or critics, and in 2005 executive producer Kathleen Hutchison
axed the entire family. James has since blamed EastEnders scriptwriters' dull plots for the Ferreira family's lack of success.
and the UK Comedy Website, chortle.co.uk, alongside the comedians, Ray Peacock
and Ed Gamble. James is the object of many jokes in the series, mostly about his personal life and how he "ruined Eastenders" and was also referred to (jokingly) on the podcast as a paedophile.
. His early schooling was in Portsmouth and, whilst there, his Drama Tutor suggested he apply for a place at a drama college, although up until then, Raji had seriously considered joining the RAF as he was a sergeant in the cadet corps at school.
In 1988, he enrolled in the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
and graduated with a Graduate Diploma (Degree Equivalent) in 1991. While a student, he found time to run the cellar bar at The Woodville Hotel in Woodville Road, Cathays. He was the Actor in Residence at Portsmouth College's Media Studies and Performing Arts Department, and is currently working part time at Bucks New University in High Wycombe, running classes in audition technique, in particular focusing on the performance skills required for classic and modern monologues.
In 2007, he started a club night with fellow Eastenders actor Ameet Chana
. Based at Club 49 in London, Raji has clarified on the Ray Peacock Podcast that it's not just a gay night, and that anybody is welcome. Except celebrities apparently.
Raji married his fiancée on 14 February 2010 at St Audries Park in Somerset.
British Indian
The term British Indian refers to citizens of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in India. This includes people born in the UK who are of Indian descent, and Indian-born people who have migrated to the UK...
actor, club night promotor and podcast co-host, best known for his role as Ash Ferreira in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, he also played Abdul Khan in the 1999 British Film East Is East
East is East (film)
East Is East is a 1999 British black comedy/drama film, written by Ayub Khan-Din and directed by Damien O'Donnell. It is set in a British household of mixed-ethnicity, with a British Pakistani father and an English mother in Salford, Lancashire, in 1971...
. Between 2007-2008 he participated in The Ray Peacock Podcast. On the 13th September 2010 Raji joined Ed Gamble and Ray Peacock
Ray Peacock
Ray Peacock is a comic performer, best known for the Peacock and Gamble Podcast. He came to prominence in the Big and Daft comedy trio, BBC London radio series, three consecutive years of sell-out Edinburgh Festival shows and their own series for the BBC's PlayUK, Terrorville.In 2007 Ray began...
in a special 50th episode of The Ray Peacock Podcast which was released at the same time as the 50th Episode of The Peacock and Gamble Podcast.
Television
He has featured as a regular character, DS Vik Singh, in ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
(2000–02). He has also had parts in Crocodile Shoes
Crocodile Shoes
Crocodile Shoes is a British 7-part television series made by the BBC and screened on BBC One in 1994.The series was written by and starred Jimmy Nail as a factory worker who becomes a country and western singer...
, Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead (TV series)
Waking the Dead is a British television police procedural crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a fictional Cold Case Unit comprising CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode aired in September 2000 and there have been a total of nine series...
, and in the 2006 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episodes "Army of Ghosts
Army of Ghosts
"Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006...
" and "Doomsday
Doomsday (Doctor Who)
"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006...
". He went on to appear as Prince Malik in the 2006 BBC adaptation of Robin Hood (episode 10 - Peace? Off!
Peace? Off!
"Peace? Off!" is the tenth episode of the 2006 British Robin Hood television series, made by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC One. It aired on Saturday 9 December 2006 at 6:55 pm. Its title is a quote from the episode, a pun on the British exclamation "piss off"!-Plot:A madman is terrorising...
), and as Dr Joe Mangeshkar in Kick
Kick (TV series)
Kick is an Australian television comedy that was first broadcast on 9 June 2007 on SBS TV. It is set in Brunswick in Melbourne, Australia. The series follows the adventures of wild twenty-something Miki Mavros who is forced to move back in with her Greek-Australian parents on Hope Street after a...
(2007).
James is best known for playing the role of Ash Ferreira in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. James' character first appeared on-screen in 2003 as part of a new Indian family, the show's first new Asian family for 10 years. However, the Ferreiras were not received well by viewers or critics, and in 2005 executive producer Kathleen Hutchison
Kathleen Hutchison
Kathleen Hutchison is a British television producer, whose credits include Playing the Field, Holby City and Casualty @ Holby City.-EastEnders:...
axed the entire family. James has since blamed EastEnders scriptwriters' dull plots for the Ferreira family's lack of success.
Film
His film roles include- ProvokedProvoked (film)Provoked is a 2007 UK based English language film, directed by Jag Mundhra. It stars Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Nandita Das and Steve McFadden. The film is loosely based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia who killed her abusive husband.Cinematography...
(2007) - Anil - Nina’s Heavenly Delights (2006) - Sanjay
- Brief Encounters (2005) - Doctor
- East Is EastEast is East (film)East Is East is a 1999 British black comedy/drama film, written by Ayub Khan-Din and directed by Damien O'Donnell. It is set in a British household of mixed-ethnicity, with a British Pakistani father and an English mother in Salford, Lancashire, in 1971...
(1999) - Abdul Khan
Podcasts
In 2007, James began participating in "The Ray Peacock Podcast" for iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and the UK Comedy Website, chortle.co.uk, alongside the comedians, Ray Peacock
Ray Peacock
Ray Peacock is a comic performer, best known for the Peacock and Gamble Podcast. He came to prominence in the Big and Daft comedy trio, BBC London radio series, three consecutive years of sell-out Edinburgh Festival shows and their own series for the BBC's PlayUK, Terrorville.In 2007 Ray began...
and Ed Gamble. James is the object of many jokes in the series, mostly about his personal life and how he "ruined Eastenders" and was also referred to (jokingly) on the podcast as a paedophile.
Personal life
Raji was brought up in PaulsgrovePaulsgrove
Paulsgrove is an area of northern Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Paulsgrove existed as a small hamlet on the old Portsmouth to Southampton road for many years. During the early twentieth century Paulsgrove Racecourse was built north of the village on the slopes of Portsdown Hill and a halt built...
. His early schooling was in Portsmouth and, whilst there, his Drama Tutor suggested he apply for a place at a drama college, although up until then, Raji had seriously considered joining the RAF as he was a sergeant in the cadet corps at school.
In 1988, he enrolled in the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan Group located in Cardiff, Wales....
and graduated with a Graduate Diploma (Degree Equivalent) in 1991. While a student, he found time to run the cellar bar at The Woodville Hotel in Woodville Road, Cathays. He was the Actor in Residence at Portsmouth College's Media Studies and Performing Arts Department, and is currently working part time at Bucks New University in High Wycombe, running classes in audition technique, in particular focusing on the performance skills required for classic and modern monologues.
In 2007, he started a club night with fellow Eastenders actor Ameet Chana
Ameet Chana
Ameet Chana is a British Indian actor. His most notable role is Adi Ferreira in EastEnders....
. Based at Club 49 in London, Raji has clarified on the Ray Peacock Podcast that it's not just a gay night, and that anybody is welcome. Except celebrities apparently.
Raji married his fiancée on 14 February 2010 at St Audries Park in Somerset.
See also
- Ray PeacockRay PeacockRay Peacock is a comic performer, best known for the Peacock and Gamble Podcast. He came to prominence in the Big and Daft comedy trio, BBC London radio series, three consecutive years of sell-out Edinburgh Festival shows and their own series for the BBC's PlayUK, Terrorville.In 2007 Ray began...
- The Ray Peacock Podcast
- List of The Ray Peacock Podcast Episodes
- The Guru (film)The Guru (film)The Guru is a 2002 British-French-American romantic comedy film written by Tracey Jackson and directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer. The film centers on a dance teacher who comes to America from India to pursue a normal career but incidentally stumbles into a brief but high-profile career as a sex...