Syed Masood
Encyclopedia
Syed Masood is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Marc Elliott
, and first appeared on screen on 21 April 2009. Syed is the eldest son of Masood Ahmed
(Nitin Ganatra
) and Zainab Masood
(Nina Wadia
), and brother of Tamwar
(Himesh Patel
) and Shabnam
(Zahra Ahmadi
) and Kamil Masood (Arian Chikhlia). Syed's storylines have seem him fall in love with a man, Christian Clarke
(John Partridge
), and the realisation that he is gay
. Syed initially marries girlfriend Amira Shah
(Preeya Kalidas
) but later comes out
, and leaves her for Christian, despite the pressures of his family and his Muslim
faith.
In 2009, it was announced actor Marc Elliott would be joining the EastEnders
cast. In an interview with Digital Spy, Elliott described his arrival: "It is so exciting to join the cast of EastEnders and to be working with actors such as Nina Wadia and Nitin Ganatra who I have admired for many years. "The Masood family have really made a name for themselves in the Square and it will be interesting see how Syed plans to stir things up!"
(Nitin Ganatra
) and Zainab Masood
(Nina Wadia
), and brother of Tamwar
(Himesh Patel
) and Shabnam
(Zahra Ahmadi
). Prior to the Masoods' arrival in Walford
, Syed was estranged from his family for four years. He stole from the family business, almost bankrupting them. His father took the blame, but exiled Syed from the family. Syed moved to the north of England and worked in the property industry.
(Preeya Kalidas
), who soon moves to Walford to be near him. He begins working for his parents' catering company, and develops an attraction to his colleague, Christian Clarke
(John Partridge
). The two have sex, and Syed admits that he has had one-night stand
s with men before. Conflicted by his Muslim faith, Syed proposes to Amira. He continues to see Christian, whose niece Lucy
(Melissa Suffield
) sees them kissing and blackmails him. Christian and Syed declare their love for one another, but when Masood is involved in a car accident, Syed believes he is being punished and terminates their relationship. A hurt Christian tries to move away from Walford, but is unable to forget about Syed, and returns in an attempt to deter him from marriage. On his wedding day, Syed admits to Christian that he is gay and in love with him, but feels unable to come out because of his family and faith. Zainab discovers the truth, but implores Syed to go through with his marriage. He does so, but is initially unable to consummate it. He tells his mother that the thought of sex with Amira makes him feel physically sick. He wishes to confess his sexuality, but Zainab warns him against shaming the family and threatens to disown him. Syed attempts to commit to his marriage; he has sex with Amira, and suggests starting a family.
Despite his intentions, Syed resumes his relationship with Christian. Amira becomes pregnant but it was her misunderstanding and not real (but finally she will at the time she leaves, although she will not tell it to Syed). Syed intends to continue the affair, to Christian's displeasure. Syed finally reveals the truth to Amira kind of by accident and ultimately admits that he is gay. Amira's father Qadim (Ramon Tikaram
) becomes very mad at him. Amira terminates their relationship and leaves Walford. Christian is attacked by Qadim, and rejects Syed when he visits him. He calls him a coward for trying to appease his family. Syed is later told to find a new mosque to attend, and implored to leave Walford by Christian's best friend Roxy
(Rita Simons). He takes an overdose, and regains consciousness to hear Zainab telling him it would be better if he was dead. She burns his belongings and attempts to evict him from the family home, but is stopped by Masood. Syed begins attending therapy which he believes will cure him of his homosexuality, though it proves unsuccessful. Syed knows Christian still has feelings for him, but when he visits Christian, he rejects Syed again. The following day, Syed tells Christian he chooses him and needs his help, and that he is both gay and Muslim. The two move in together, and Syed is disowned by his parents.
Syed becomes Christian's personal assistant and finds a new mosque. His parents help him escape from a fire
, but they return to ignoring him in the aftermath. Trying to move on with his life, Syed starts his own massage business. He discovers that his father almost had an affair, and threatens to tell his mother, but decides against it. He is hurt when Christian kisses another man at a party, but is able to forgive him. They decide to have a child, although Syed is at first against the idea. A drunken Roxy offers to be the surrogate mother and although Syed tells Christian that it is happening too quickly, Roxy has already impregnated herself with Christian's sperm. The insemination is unsuccessful however. Syed rents a room at Roxy's salon for his massage therapy business, but steals her client list and plans to go into business with Roxy's manager, Tanya Branning
(Jo Joyner
). He and Christian attend Tamwar's engagement party together, to the disgust of his parents. The roof of their restaurant collapses and knocks Syed unconscious. Zainab is led to believe his condition is critical and visits him in hospital, but rejects him once he is discharged. Zainab visits Syed after being urged to by Yusef Khan
(Ace Bhatti
), but she leaves after a while admitting it was a mistake. However, when Masood lets Zainab down, she contacts Syed and they meet in a café. Masood discovers them but Syed says he cannot stop them seeing each other. Syed confronts Zainab and Masood in The Queen Victoria, telling them that if they do not accept Christian as Syed's lover then there is nothing more to say. Syed calls Masood a hypocrite for gambling and tells Zainab that they are in no position to judge him. He then tells them to live their lives and he will live his. Eventually, Syed and Zainab make amends. Christian and Syed try to pursue an adoption and Christian finds a new flat for them. However, Syed almost changes his mind and the couple split up until Syed realises that he does want a child. Syed tells his family he and Christian are engaged at a family meal, but they do not take the news well.
Syed decides to find Amira so he can get a divorce, but has trouble finding her and Christian worries about Qadim getting involved in their lives again. It is revealed Amira is practically being held hostage by her father and that she had Syed's baby, a girl called Yasmin. Eventually Amira comes to Walford and wants Syed to be part of Yasmin's life as long as Christian is not part of it. Syed and Christian agree that their relationship comes first and they will go through the courts to gain access. However, when Christian is asleep, Syed sneaks out to meet Yasmin. Syed continues to secretly see Yasmin and Amira, but when Christian learns of this, he confronts Syed and declares that Syed has to choose between him and the baby. However, he relents and gives Syed his blessing to see his child. Once Zainab knows about Yasmin, she and Amira both try to manipulate Syed into spending more time with his daughter, at the expense of Christian. Christian reveals that he had a paternity test performed, which proves that Syed is not the father of Yasmin. Syed is devastated, but Amira continues to claim that he is the father. Syed doubts Christian, believing that he may have falsified the test. However, it emerges that it was Yusef who falsified the paternity test. Syed and Christian then let Amira and Yasmin stay with them, as they have nowhere else to go. When Christian is falsely accused of touching 15-year-old Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe), Syed doubts Christian again, leading to Christian breaking up with Syed and leaving Walford. Amira tells Syed that she has a business opportunity in Pakistan, and invites Syed to join her and Yasmin there. Syed is initially reluctant, but after Jane confirms that Christian is unlikely to return to him, Syed considers the move.
In an interview with entertainment and media website Digital Spy
, Elliott commented on his casting, and the "responsibility" with regard to playing a character that viewers already had preconceived images about: "I hope I'm what everyone expects! I was given a biography when I got the part [...]. It's a process all characters go through to decide what they'd do in certain situations, given certain choices and basic things, for example who they'd like or dislike on [Albert] Square
. That helped to cement the character in my head [...]. He's such a complex character. It's such a collaborative experience. I'm discovering things about Syed at the same time as the rest of the team." To prepare for the role, Elliott watched documentaries such as A Jihad for Love which focus on the ways in which gay Muslims reconcile their faith with their sexuality.
described Syed as "Entrepreneurial, reckless, dashing and complicated, [he's] set to bring surprises and chaos to the Masood family." Elliott revealed that the character is driven by money: "It's all about the cash. His drive is to be successful and there's nothing really Machiavellian about him — well, there potentially is — but he just wants the money because he believes he can use it to make more. [Syed]'s very cocksure and confident about himself but the absurd thing is that he hasn't learned from his past mistakes." He also says that "Syed manipulates people to his own ends. He's charming, confident and reckless." Wadia described the character as a "dark horse", saying, "What I like about the way they've introduced him is that you get to see the gentle side of him first — the repentant side. Then you see what he's really like over the subsequent weeks."
, was introduced played by Preeya Kalidas
. Elliott has described the relationship between the characters and Syed's motivation: "Well, she's a rich daddy's girl and it's hard not to make the association between Syed and money. There's certainly an honest attraction there and I think he does love her. But the money that her father has might be an additional aspect of their relationship. Amira comes in and ruffles a few feathers, especially Zainab's. Obviously with Syed being a mummy's boy, she has to have her say. I don't think Zainab would be happy with anyone that Syed's with — they'd have to be absolutely perfect. Mummy Masood will be doing a lot of meddling and locking horns with Amira."
In June 2009, Syed begins an affair with gay character Christian Clarke
, played by John Partridge
, a storyline that will see Syed "torn between his feelings and [his] faith". The storyline is said to be controversial, as homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam
. However, Santer explained that the storyline will not be a moral tale, but one of human interest, adding: "In this regard, it's not dissimilar to the story we told when Dot Cotton's deeply-held Christian beliefs came into conflict with her desire to alleviate Ethel
's suffering [in a euthanasia
plotline]. To all intents and purposes, Syed's a 'good' Muslim man: he doesn't drink, smoke or engage in sex before marriage. But he struggles with his sexuality when he finds himself drawn to Christian and he believes this goes against his faith. This is not a story about Syed and Christian's physical relationship — we don't see anything beyond one kiss. It's more about the inner turmoil and conflict Syed endures trying to remain true to his faith while questioning his sexuality. Syed has already been ostracised from his family and community once and if he's true to his heart he risks losing his family again." Santer also said that EastEnders always tries to "reflect modern life in multicultural Britain and [tell] social issue stories relevant to [its] diverse audience," and that "The dynamics of Muslim relationships and families are not radically different from any others but the importance that Muslim culture places on family and married life can make the same issues more charged." Elliott commented on the storyline, saying: "I think EastEnders would be doing the programme a disservice if they didn't give a voice to various communities. I think that's really important because I think London is a very ethnically diverse multicultural place, and EastEnders has a job to reflect that in the storylines it gives people and the characters they have on board." This plot was researched with help from academics, gay Muslim support groups and members of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, and will contain a "balance of opinions" from various other characters, including Syed's mother Zainab.
When asked in a BBC interview in September 2009 if Syed is gay or bisexual, Elliott answered: "I think at this stage there's confusion about his sexuality. He knows he likes Christian but it hasn't really been stipulated. He wants to settle down and have children with Amira because that's what's expected of him, but he finds himself unavoidably attracted to Christian so that's what's going on in his head." He went on to say that Syed is still attracted to Amira but only because "that's what he’s meant to do", adding that "he's probably conning himself." Christian's friend James Mackie, played by Paul Keating
arrives and when Syed refuses to break up with Amira, Christian starts a relationship with James to forget Syed. Elliott says that this is the moment when Syed realises his feelings for Christian go beyond sexual attraction. Elliot explains that Syed and Amira have never been intimate, in theory because of their religion, but adds that Syed is probably scared to get intimate with her and is merely hiding behind his religion.
In December 2009, Santer was asked what his favourite storyline of the year had been. He replied "I'm really pleased with the Christian/Syed storyline. It's bold and we thought long and hard before we did it to make sure we got it right and I'm really proud with what we've done. Marc [Elliott] and John [Partridge] have absolutely stepped up to the plate and like all good EastEnders stories, we're not even half done with it yet. There's miles to go."
Syed and Amira's wedding takes place on screen on 1 January 2010. They have a traditional Pakistani wedding featuring horses, drummers and dancers. Scriptwriters researched by watching videos of a real British Pakistani wedding. BBC Asian Network
reporter Shabnam Mahmood also advised on the wedding. The wedding and its build-up were filmed over a two-week period and Elliott required three two-hour riding lessons before he could film the horseback scenes. He revealed: "I was quite proud of myself, though, as I managed to canter although I don't do that around the Square as it's not that big. During rehearsals the horse, Storm, was really well behaved and it all went fairly smoothly. But as soon as it came to the actual filming and all the drums and banners came out, it wasn't so easy. I think she walks sideways for quite a bit of the time. But I'm just pleased that I didn't end up impaled on the railings in Albert Square. I think avoiding that was quite an achievement." John Partridge choreographed the dance scenes and Elliott took six weeks to learn the dance, saying: "I couldn't have done it without him [Partridge]. He had me practising in every spare moment, even in the hallways by myself as he wanted to see a marked improvement on my routine. Preeya kept getting occasional glimpses of me practising in the hallways and she didn't look too impressed with what she saw. Johnny did a great job with that routine, although I added in the back flip myself! By the end of it, I ate, slept and dreamt that dance."
Before the wedding, Syed's affair with Christian is revealed to his mother Zainab and he admits to her that he is gay. She urges him to go ahead with the wedding and only a small number of people know about Syed and Christian. Elliot said he was pleased that the affair came out this way, as "it's far more realistic this way". He added that the writers would have "done the story a disservice" if Syed and Christian had ended up with their 'happily ever after', saying "they need to show the life after the wedding and show how Syed will cope living with a wife who he loves, but not in the way he loves Christian. He has to live with the fact that he's not being true to himself over his sexuality." Elliott noted a change in Syed's personality, saying "Syed's starting to show signs of being quite a cruel character but it's only through his own bitterness and resentment that he starts acting the way he does – it's the way he deals with it. Poor Amira's none the wiser, so Syed's not acting right and she has no idea why."
In March 2011, it was reported that a Syed would be among characters sustaining injuries when the roof of his parents' restaurant, The Argee Bhajee, collapses. The scenes, to air in April 2011, were filmed in February, and a spokespoerson said "Despite the ill-feeling between him and his parents, Syed is in the building when the disastrous party takes place. But what the accident could mean for the family feud remains to be seen." The plot could see Syed and Christian share more screentime with the rest of the Masood family, as Partridge commented that the issues may start to be resolved, though not necessarily leading to the outcome viewers will want.
A scene showing Syed and Christian naked in bed together prompted over 100 complaints to the BBC. EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
was forced to defend the scenes. The mixed response from viewers to the scenes confirms the findings of a BBC survey last year, which showed that gay relationships are still a divisive issue. On the other hand, some other viewers praised the BBC for showing "the fabulous portrait of the relationship between Syed and Christian". The viewer said the gay bed scene was a "big step towards equality". The BBC stated in response The BBC’s statement said: "EastEnders aims to reflect real life, and this means including and telling stories about characters from many different backgrounds, faiths, religions and sexualities".
is so great right now. There's a lack of understanding of Muslims already and I think EastEnders really lost an opportunity to present a normal friendly Muslim character to the British public." One British Muslim fan of EastEnders reportedly told the Al Arabiya
news channel that the storyline "is not a true reflection of the majority of Muslims in the United Kingdom." However the comments left by readers of this article are for the most part in favour of the storyline. Another British Muslim said "I think it's bad, it is going to give a bad impression about Islam. The type of people that watch EastEnders are going to be very naïve about such a portrayal of Muslims," but added that Muslims probably would not boycott the show as "generally practicing Muslims don't really watch EastEnders."
Diederick Santer responded to the criticisms of Muslim viewers by saying "It's really important that [...] we give the Masoods big stories. Sometimes there's a danger of being too careful with black or Asian characters that we might go into territories that might offend. But it seems to me if we steer away from any controversy, they don't stand a chance of being a great EastEnders family — they'll just be in their kitchen unit making curries for years and years and that's not going to be very interesting." Yusuf Wehebi from LGBT
Muslim advocacy group Imaan said: "It is high time that the invisible minority became a visible minority. It is entirely possible to be Muslim and gay and there [are] many of us in Britain today. It is great that the BBC have had the courage to raise such an important social issue in our society today." The kiss between Syed and Christian was watched by 7.9 million viewers. Anila Baig
of The Sun
wrote that the kiss was a "damp squib" and "unconvincing". Elliott told Soaplife
magazine that he has received no negative feedback from the show's fans for the storyline.
The 1 January 2010 episode in which Syed marries Amira received overnight ratings of 11.64 million viewers, an average audience share of 39.3%. The ultimate five minutes of the episode, in which Christian and Syed share an emotional goodbye, received a peak of 12.34 million viewers. The wedding was criticised by a writer for Asian Image, who said "With so much resources at hand they couldn't even get a Muslim wedding right. It was colourful and noisy but the priest couldn't speak the lingo properly and the wedding vows were all wrong. What was the priest doing sat between the bride and groom? At least attempt to make it as realistic as possible. It was Indian and then Pakistani – what on earth was going on! For a prime-time show which was watched by millions at least try to get as close to a real Pakistani Muslim wedding as possible. The whole thing reminded me of one of 1960s botched jobs put together by some middle-aged white man who 'thought it happened this way so it must!'" A Channel Five
retrospective on soap weddings in 2010, however, deemed the "dramatic Bollywood
-style wedding" to be "spectacular".
In July 2010, viewers complained after Syed was seen dropping his Qu'ran in frustration. The BBC responded by saying "It was not intended to be a disrespectful act, rather a totally spontaneous one, symbolic of Syed's utter confusion and frustration at what feels like an impossible situation. It wasn't our intention to cause any offence." Additionally, Ofcom
received 23 complaints from viewers who said the gay Muslim storyline was offensive to their faith. In the same month, the Syed-Christian storyline was commented on in Stonewall
research, which found that positive and realistic gay characters appear in just 0.6% of broadcast television. Stonewall noted the romance storyline was a predominantly violent and unhappy one. Among readers of Inside Soap
, Syed and Christian came second in a poll of characters favoured to marry on-screen in 2011.
In January 2011, Elliott was nominated for Serial Drama Performance at the 2011 National Television Awards
for his portrayal of Syed but did not make it to the shortlist. Inside Soap readers voted Syed their favourite member of the Masood family.
, who played Sanjay Kapoor
between 1993 and 1998. He said that EastEnders had failed to portray Asian families in a realistic manner, branding the family "two-dimensional and ill-conceived". A BBC spokesperson responded by saying "It's a shame Deepak feels that way but that's clearly his personal opinion. The Masood family have proved to be hugely popular with EastEnders viewers." During Syed's gay storyline, actor Jimi Mistry
, who played gay Asian character Fred Fonseca in EastEnders between 1998 and 2000, expressed surprise in October 2009 at another gay Asian storyline in the programme. Mistry said "It's amazing, isn't it? It was ten years ago when we did it and they're still going down that path. I can't really comment though. I did my stint and I did see they were going along that road again but it's their choice. They must think that people have forgotten the last time they did it, so maybe they're just redoing it in a different way."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from 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...
, played by Marc Elliott
Marc Elliott
Marc Elliott is a British actor from Stratford-upon-Avon, who is best known for his role as Syed Masood in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Personal life:...
, and first appeared on screen on 21 April 2009. Syed is the eldest son of Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nitin Ganatra.- Storylines :Masood moves to 41 Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007. Masood and Zainab are both active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab the owner of a...
(Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra is a Kenyan born British actor. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun...
) and Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia. She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007.-Backstory:...
(Nina Wadia
Nina Wadia
-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
), and brother of Tamwar
Tamwar Masood
Tamwar Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Himesh Patel. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2007.- Storylines :...
(Himesh Patel
Himesh Patel
Himesh Jitendra Patel is a British actor who began his career in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing Tamwar Masood. His first appearance on the programme was on 1 October 2007. Patel is also a member of the National Youth Theatre. He also appears in the 2010 spin-off series EastEnders: E20.-...
) and Shabnam
Shabnam Masood
Shabnam Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Zahra Ahmadi. She made her first appearance on 17 July 2007. On 8 September 2008, it was reported that Zahra Ahmadi had quit the soap, as her character was not given enough "meaty storylines"...
(Zahra Ahmadi
Zahra Ahmadi
Zahra Ahmadi is a British actress of Iranian descent.She is best known for her role as Shabnam Masood in the British television series EastEnders from 2007–2008, but soon quit as she thought that her character was not given enough good storylines...
) and Kamil Masood (Arian Chikhlia). Syed's storylines have seem him fall in love with a man, Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Partridge. He made his first appearance on 17 January 2008.-Storylines:...
(John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
), and the realisation that he is gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Syed initially marries girlfriend Amira Shah
Amira Shah
Amira Shah is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Preeya Kalidas. The girlfriend, and later wife, of Syed Masood , she first appeared on screen in the episode broadcast on 7 May 2009. She returned on 10 October 2011.The character was described as high maintenance,...
(Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
) but later comes out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
, and leaves her for Christian, despite the pressures of his family and his Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
faith.
In 2009, it was announced actor Marc Elliott would be joining the 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...
cast. In an interview with Digital Spy, Elliott described his arrival: "It is so exciting to join the cast of EastEnders and to be working with actors such as Nina Wadia and Nitin Ganatra who I have admired for many years. "The Masood family have really made a name for themselves in the Square and it will be interesting see how Syed plans to stir things up!"
Backstory
Syed is the eldest son of Masood AhmedMasood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nitin Ganatra.- Storylines :Masood moves to 41 Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007. Masood and Zainab are both active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab the owner of a...
(Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra is a Kenyan born British actor. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun...
) and Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia. She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007.-Backstory:...
(Nina Wadia
Nina Wadia
-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
), and brother of Tamwar
Tamwar Masood
Tamwar Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Himesh Patel. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2007.- Storylines :...
(Himesh Patel
Himesh Patel
Himesh Jitendra Patel is a British actor who began his career in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing Tamwar Masood. His first appearance on the programme was on 1 October 2007. Patel is also a member of the National Youth Theatre. He also appears in the 2010 spin-off series EastEnders: E20.-...
) and Shabnam
Shabnam Masood
Shabnam Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Zahra Ahmadi. She made her first appearance on 17 July 2007. On 8 September 2008, it was reported that Zahra Ahmadi had quit the soap, as her character was not given enough "meaty storylines"...
(Zahra Ahmadi
Zahra Ahmadi
Zahra Ahmadi is a British actress of Iranian descent.She is best known for her role as Shabnam Masood in the British television series EastEnders from 2007–2008, but soon quit as she thought that her character was not given enough good storylines...
). Prior to the Masoods' arrival in Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
, Syed was estranged from his family for four years. He stole from the family business, almost bankrupting them. His father took the blame, but exiled Syed from the family. Syed moved to the north of England and worked in the property industry.
2009—
Syed resumes contact with his family when he experiences financial difficulties. Although Masood reveals his previous theft, Zainab forgives her son, and invites him to move into the family home when he is evicted for failing to pay his rent. Syed introduces his family to his girlfriend, Amira ShahAmira Shah
Amira Shah is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Preeya Kalidas. The girlfriend, and later wife, of Syed Masood , she first appeared on screen in the episode broadcast on 7 May 2009. She returned on 10 October 2011.The character was described as high maintenance,...
(Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
), who soon moves to Walford to be near him. He begins working for his parents' catering company, and develops an attraction to his colleague, Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Partridge. He made his first appearance on 17 January 2008.-Storylines:...
(John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
). The two have sex, and Syed admits that he has had one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
s with men before. Conflicted by his Muslim faith, Syed proposes to Amira. He continues to see Christian, whose niece Lucy
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
(Melissa Suffield
Melissa Suffield
Melissa Hollie Suffield is a British actress from London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lucy Beale. Her first appearance on the show was 28 October 2004 and her last on 27 August 2010.-Career:...
) sees them kissing and blackmails him. Christian and Syed declare their love for one another, but when Masood is involved in a car accident, Syed believes he is being punished and terminates their relationship. A hurt Christian tries to move away from Walford, but is unable to forget about Syed, and returns in an attempt to deter him from marriage. On his wedding day, Syed admits to Christian that he is gay and in love with him, but feels unable to come out because of his family and faith. Zainab discovers the truth, but implores Syed to go through with his marriage. He does so, but is initially unable to consummate it. He tells his mother that the thought of sex with Amira makes him feel physically sick. He wishes to confess his sexuality, but Zainab warns him against shaming the family and threatens to disown him. Syed attempts to commit to his marriage; he has sex with Amira, and suggests starting a family.
Despite his intentions, Syed resumes his relationship with Christian. Amira becomes pregnant but it was her misunderstanding and not real (but finally she will at the time she leaves, although she will not tell it to Syed). Syed intends to continue the affair, to Christian's displeasure. Syed finally reveals the truth to Amira kind of by accident and ultimately admits that he is gay. Amira's father Qadim (Ramon Tikaram
Ramon Tikaram
Ramon Pramod Junior Tikaram is a British stage and screen actor of Indo-Fijian and Malaysian descent.-Early and personal life:...
) becomes very mad at him. Amira terminates their relationship and leaves Walford. Christian is attacked by Qadim, and rejects Syed when he visits him. He calls him a coward for trying to appease his family. Syed is later told to find a new mosque to attend, and implored to leave Walford by Christian's best friend Roxy
Roxy Mitchell
Roxanne Lizette "Roxy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons. Roxy arrived in Walford with her sister Ronnie on 24 July 2007 and decided to move permanently to Walford from Ibiza where they ran a bar together. Roxy is the younger of the two...
(Rita Simons). He takes an overdose, and regains consciousness to hear Zainab telling him it would be better if he was dead. She burns his belongings and attempts to evict him from the family home, but is stopped by Masood. Syed begins attending therapy which he believes will cure him of his homosexuality, though it proves unsuccessful. Syed knows Christian still has feelings for him, but when he visits Christian, he rejects Syed again. The following day, Syed tells Christian he chooses him and needs his help, and that he is both gay and Muslim. The two move in together, and Syed is disowned by his parents.
Syed becomes Christian's personal assistant and finds a new mosque. His parents help him escape from a fire
Queen Vic Fire Week
"Queen Vic Fire Week" is a group of four episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, broadcast between 6 and 10 September 2010 on BBC One. The episodes included a fire at The Queen Victoria public house, also known as The Queen Vic or The Vic, and the departure of the character Peggy Mitchell,...
, but they return to ignoring him in the aftermath. Trying to move on with his life, Syed starts his own massage business. He discovers that his father almost had an affair, and threatens to tell his mother, but decides against it. He is hurt when Christian kisses another man at a party, but is able to forgive him. They decide to have a child, although Syed is at first against the idea. A drunken Roxy offers to be the surrogate mother and although Syed tells Christian that it is happening too quickly, Roxy has already impregnated herself with Christian's sperm. The insemination is unsuccessful however. Syed rents a room at Roxy's salon for his massage therapy business, but steals her client list and plans to go into business with Roxy's manager, Tanya Branning
Tanya Branning
Tanya Lauren Jessop is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jo Joyner. She made her first appearance on 27 June 2006. She left the show temporarily on 25 December 2009 for maternity leave and returned for one episode on 23 June 2010. She made her full-time return on...
(Jo Joyner
Jo Joyner
Joanne Mary Joyner is an English actress who is best known for her role as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, in which she has appeared since June 2006.-Career:...
). He and Christian attend Tamwar's engagement party together, to the disgust of his parents. The roof of their restaurant collapses and knocks Syed unconscious. Zainab is led to believe his condition is critical and visits him in hospital, but rejects him once he is discharged. Zainab visits Syed after being urged to by Yusef Khan
Yusef Khan
Doctor Yusef Khan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ace Bhatti. Yusef is the father of Afia Khan and former husband of Zainab Masood . He appears from 23 November 2010. Described as strong-willed, he arrives as Walford's new general practitioner....
(Ace Bhatti
Ace Bhatti
Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti is a British actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has starred in numerous television series, including New Street Law, Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, The Sarah Jane Adventures as Haresh Chandra and in EastEnders playing Yusef...
), but she leaves after a while admitting it was a mistake. However, when Masood lets Zainab down, she contacts Syed and they meet in a café. Masood discovers them but Syed says he cannot stop them seeing each other. Syed confronts Zainab and Masood in The Queen Victoria, telling them that if they do not accept Christian as Syed's lover then there is nothing more to say. Syed calls Masood a hypocrite for gambling and tells Zainab that they are in no position to judge him. He then tells them to live their lives and he will live his. Eventually, Syed and Zainab make amends. Christian and Syed try to pursue an adoption and Christian finds a new flat for them. However, Syed almost changes his mind and the couple split up until Syed realises that he does want a child. Syed tells his family he and Christian are engaged at a family meal, but they do not take the news well.
Syed decides to find Amira so he can get a divorce, but has trouble finding her and Christian worries about Qadim getting involved in their lives again. It is revealed Amira is practically being held hostage by her father and that she had Syed's baby, a girl called Yasmin. Eventually Amira comes to Walford and wants Syed to be part of Yasmin's life as long as Christian is not part of it. Syed and Christian agree that their relationship comes first and they will go through the courts to gain access. However, when Christian is asleep, Syed sneaks out to meet Yasmin. Syed continues to secretly see Yasmin and Amira, but when Christian learns of this, he confronts Syed and declares that Syed has to choose between him and the baby. However, he relents and gives Syed his blessing to see his child. Once Zainab knows about Yasmin, she and Amira both try to manipulate Syed into spending more time with his daughter, at the expense of Christian. Christian reveals that he had a paternity test performed, which proves that Syed is not the father of Yasmin. Syed is devastated, but Amira continues to claim that he is the father. Syed doubts Christian, believing that he may have falsified the test. However, it emerges that it was Yusef who falsified the paternity test. Syed and Christian then let Amira and Yasmin stay with them, as they have nowhere else to go. When Christian is falsely accused of touching 15-year-old Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe), Syed doubts Christian again, leading to Christian breaking up with Syed and leaving Walford. Amira tells Syed that she has a business opportunity in Pakistan, and invites Syed to join her and Yasmin there. Syed is initially reluctant, but after Jane confirms that Christian is unlikely to return to him, Syed considers the move.
Creation
Syed had been mentioned regularly since the Masoods arrived in Walford in 2007, but was not introduced on-screen until April 2009. Elliott was cast in the role after a successful reading with Ganatra and Wadia. Eliott was told he had been successfully cast just before Christmas 2008.In an interview with entertainment and media website Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, Elliott commented on his casting, and the "responsibility" with regard to playing a character that viewers already had preconceived images about: "I hope I'm what everyone expects! I was given a biography when I got the part [...]. It's a process all characters go through to decide what they'd do in certain situations, given certain choices and basic things, for example who they'd like or dislike on [Albert] Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
. That helped to cement the character in my head [...]. He's such a complex character. It's such a collaborative experience. I'm discovering things about Syed at the same time as the rest of the team." To prepare for the role, Elliott watched documentaries such as A Jihad for Love which focus on the ways in which gay Muslims reconcile their faith with their sexuality.
Characterisation
Elliott's character is apparently a smooth-talking natural charmer who knows how to get ahead in business. He is also described as "handsome, suave and sophisticated". Executive Producer Diederick SanterDiederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
described Syed as "Entrepreneurial, reckless, dashing and complicated, [he's] set to bring surprises and chaos to the Masood family." Elliott revealed that the character is driven by money: "It's all about the cash. His drive is to be successful and there's nothing really Machiavellian about him — well, there potentially is — but he just wants the money because he believes he can use it to make more. [Syed]'s very cocksure and confident about himself but the absurd thing is that he hasn't learned from his past mistakes." He also says that "Syed manipulates people to his own ends. He's charming, confident and reckless." Wadia described the character as a "dark horse", saying, "What I like about the way they've introduced him is that you get to see the gentle side of him first — the repentant side. Then you see what he's really like over the subsequent weeks."
Development
Shortly after his arrival, Syed's girlfriend, Amira ShahAmira Shah
Amira Shah is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Preeya Kalidas. The girlfriend, and later wife, of Syed Masood , she first appeared on screen in the episode broadcast on 7 May 2009. She returned on 10 October 2011.The character was described as high maintenance,...
, was introduced played by Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
. Elliott has described the relationship between the characters and Syed's motivation: "Well, she's a rich daddy's girl and it's hard not to make the association between Syed and money. There's certainly an honest attraction there and I think he does love her. But the money that her father has might be an additional aspect of their relationship. Amira comes in and ruffles a few feathers, especially Zainab's. Obviously with Syed being a mummy's boy, she has to have her say. I don't think Zainab would be happy with anyone that Syed's with — they'd have to be absolutely perfect. Mummy Masood will be doing a lot of meddling and locking horns with Amira."
In June 2009, Syed begins an affair with gay character Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Partridge. He made his first appearance on 17 January 2008.-Storylines:...
, played by John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
, a storyline that will see Syed "torn between his feelings and [his] faith". The storyline is said to be controversial, as homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam
Homosexuality and Islam
LGBT topics and Islam are influenced by both the cultural-legal history of the nations with a large Muslim population, along with how specific passages in the Qur'an and statements attributed to the prophet Muhammad are interpreted. The mainstream interpretation of Qur'anic verses and hadith...
. However, Santer explained that the storyline will not be a moral tale, but one of human interest, adding: "In this regard, it's not dissimilar to the story we told when Dot Cotton's deeply-held Christian beliefs came into conflict with her desire to alleviate Ethel
Ethel Skinner
Ethel May Skinner is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by the late Gretchen Franklin. Ethel Skinner also features in a 1988 EastEnders special, entitled Civvy Street, set on Albert Square during the Second World War, where the character is played by Alison...
's suffering [in a euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
plotline]. To all intents and purposes, Syed's a 'good' Muslim man: he doesn't drink, smoke or engage in sex before marriage. But he struggles with his sexuality when he finds himself drawn to Christian and he believes this goes against his faith. This is not a story about Syed and Christian's physical relationship — we don't see anything beyond one kiss. It's more about the inner turmoil and conflict Syed endures trying to remain true to his faith while questioning his sexuality. Syed has already been ostracised from his family and community once and if he's true to his heart he risks losing his family again." Santer also said that EastEnders always tries to "reflect modern life in multicultural Britain and [tell] social issue stories relevant to [its] diverse audience," and that "The dynamics of Muslim relationships and families are not radically different from any others but the importance that Muslim culture places on family and married life can make the same issues more charged." Elliott commented on the storyline, saying: "I think EastEnders would be doing the programme a disservice if they didn't give a voice to various communities. I think that's really important because I think London is a very ethnically diverse multicultural place, and EastEnders has a job to reflect that in the storylines it gives people and the characters they have on board." This plot was researched with help from academics, gay Muslim support groups and members of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, and will contain a "balance of opinions" from various other characters, including Syed's mother Zainab.
When asked in a BBC interview in September 2009 if Syed is gay or bisexual, Elliott answered: "I think at this stage there's confusion about his sexuality. He knows he likes Christian but it hasn't really been stipulated. He wants to settle down and have children with Amira because that's what's expected of him, but he finds himself unavoidably attracted to Christian so that's what's going on in his head." He went on to say that Syed is still attracted to Amira but only because "that's what he’s meant to do", adding that "he's probably conning himself." Christian's friend James Mackie, played by Paul Keating
Paul Keating (actor)
Paul Keating is a British actor from London, England, best known for his performances on the West End stage. He has been nominated twice for an Olivier Award.- Stage career :...
arrives and when Syed refuses to break up with Amira, Christian starts a relationship with James to forget Syed. Elliott says that this is the moment when Syed realises his feelings for Christian go beyond sexual attraction. Elliot explains that Syed and Amira have never been intimate, in theory because of their religion, but adds that Syed is probably scared to get intimate with her and is merely hiding behind his religion.
In December 2009, Santer was asked what his favourite storyline of the year had been. He replied "I'm really pleased with the Christian/Syed storyline. It's bold and we thought long and hard before we did it to make sure we got it right and I'm really proud with what we've done. Marc [Elliott] and John [Partridge] have absolutely stepped up to the plate and like all good EastEnders stories, we're not even half done with it yet. There's miles to go."
Syed and Amira's wedding takes place on screen on 1 January 2010. They have a traditional Pakistani wedding featuring horses, drummers and dancers. Scriptwriters researched by watching videos of a real British Pakistani wedding. BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
reporter Shabnam Mahmood also advised on the wedding. The wedding and its build-up were filmed over a two-week period and Elliott required three two-hour riding lessons before he could film the horseback scenes. He revealed: "I was quite proud of myself, though, as I managed to canter although I don't do that around the Square as it's not that big. During rehearsals the horse, Storm, was really well behaved and it all went fairly smoothly. But as soon as it came to the actual filming and all the drums and banners came out, it wasn't so easy. I think she walks sideways for quite a bit of the time. But I'm just pleased that I didn't end up impaled on the railings in Albert Square. I think avoiding that was quite an achievement." John Partridge choreographed the dance scenes and Elliott took six weeks to learn the dance, saying: "I couldn't have done it without him [Partridge]. He had me practising in every spare moment, even in the hallways by myself as he wanted to see a marked improvement on my routine. Preeya kept getting occasional glimpses of me practising in the hallways and she didn't look too impressed with what she saw. Johnny did a great job with that routine, although I added in the back flip myself! By the end of it, I ate, slept and dreamt that dance."
Before the wedding, Syed's affair with Christian is revealed to his mother Zainab and he admits to her that he is gay. She urges him to go ahead with the wedding and only a small number of people know about Syed and Christian. Elliot said he was pleased that the affair came out this way, as "it's far more realistic this way". He added that the writers would have "done the story a disservice" if Syed and Christian had ended up with their 'happily ever after', saying "they need to show the life after the wedding and show how Syed will cope living with a wife who he loves, but not in the way he loves Christian. He has to live with the fact that he's not being true to himself over his sexuality." Elliott noted a change in Syed's personality, saying "Syed's starting to show signs of being quite a cruel character but it's only through his own bitterness and resentment that he starts acting the way he does – it's the way he deals with it. Poor Amira's none the wiser, so Syed's not acting right and she has no idea why."
In March 2011, it was reported that a Syed would be among characters sustaining injuries when the roof of his parents' restaurant, The Argee Bhajee, collapses. The scenes, to air in April 2011, were filmed in February, and a spokespoerson said "Despite the ill-feeling between him and his parents, Syed is in the building when the disastrous party takes place. But what the accident could mean for the family feud remains to be seen." The plot could see Syed and Christian share more screentime with the rest of the Masood family, as Partridge commented that the issues may start to be resolved, though not necessarily leading to the outcome viewers will want.
A scene showing Syed and Christian naked in bed together prompted over 100 complaints to the BBC. EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
was forced to defend the scenes. The mixed response from viewers to the scenes confirms the findings of a BBC survey last year, which showed that gay relationships are still a divisive issue. On the other hand, some other viewers praised the BBC for showing "the fabulous portrait of the relationship between Syed and Christian". The viewer said the gay bed scene was a "big step towards equality". The BBC stated in response The BBC’s statement said: "EastEnders aims to reflect real life, and this means including and telling stories about characters from many different backgrounds, faiths, religions and sexualities".
Reception
Critically, both Syed's gay storyline and Marc Elliott's acting were well received, with Elliott winning Best Newcomer at The British Soap Awards in 2010. From its inception, however, Syed's gay storyline was criticised by Asghar Bokhari of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, who said "The Muslim community deserves a character that represents them to the wider public because IslamophobiaIslamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
is so great right now. There's a lack of understanding of Muslims already and I think EastEnders really lost an opportunity to present a normal friendly Muslim character to the British public." One British Muslim fan of EastEnders reportedly told the Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya is a Pan-Arabist Saudi-owned Arabic-language television news channel. Launched on March 3, 2003, the channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is majority-owned by the Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center ....
news channel that the storyline "is not a true reflection of the majority of Muslims in the United Kingdom." However the comments left by readers of this article are for the most part in favour of the storyline. Another British Muslim said "I think it's bad, it is going to give a bad impression about Islam. The type of people that watch EastEnders are going to be very naïve about such a portrayal of Muslims," but added that Muslims probably would not boycott the show as "generally practicing Muslims don't really watch EastEnders."
Diederick Santer responded to the criticisms of Muslim viewers by saying "It's really important that [...] we give the Masoods big stories. Sometimes there's a danger of being too careful with black or Asian characters that we might go into territories that might offend. But it seems to me if we steer away from any controversy, they don't stand a chance of being a great EastEnders family — they'll just be in their kitchen unit making curries for years and years and that's not going to be very interesting." Yusuf Wehebi from LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Muslim advocacy group Imaan said: "It is high time that the invisible minority became a visible minority. It is entirely possible to be Muslim and gay and there [are] many of us in Britain today. It is great that the BBC have had the courage to raise such an important social issue in our society today." The kiss between Syed and Christian was watched by 7.9 million viewers. Anila Baig
Anila Baig
Anila Baig is a British Pakistani Muslim Feature Writer at The Sun.Anila Baig, originally a Pakistani, was born and raised in the city of Bradford. Anila Baig had her first column published in the local newspaper at the age of 16. She then went on to study English at the university and trained as...
of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
wrote that the kiss was a "damp squib" and "unconvincing". Elliott told Soaplife
Soaplife
Soaplife is a fortnightly UK magazine, released on Tuesday. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia....
magazine that he has received no negative feedback from the show's fans for the storyline.
The 1 January 2010 episode in which Syed marries Amira received overnight ratings of 11.64 million viewers, an average audience share of 39.3%. The ultimate five minutes of the episode, in which Christian and Syed share an emotional goodbye, received a peak of 12.34 million viewers. The wedding was criticised by a writer for Asian Image, who said "With so much resources at hand they couldn't even get a Muslim wedding right. It was colourful and noisy but the priest couldn't speak the lingo properly and the wedding vows were all wrong. What was the priest doing sat between the bride and groom? At least attempt to make it as realistic as possible. It was Indian and then Pakistani – what on earth was going on! For a prime-time show which was watched by millions at least try to get as close to a real Pakistani Muslim wedding as possible. The whole thing reminded me of one of 1960s botched jobs put together by some middle-aged white man who 'thought it happened this way so it must!'" A Channel Five
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
retrospective on soap weddings in 2010, however, deemed the "dramatic Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
-style wedding" to be "spectacular".
In July 2010, viewers complained after Syed was seen dropping his Qu'ran in frustration. The BBC responded by saying "It was not intended to be a disrespectful act, rather a totally spontaneous one, symbolic of Syed's utter confusion and frustration at what feels like an impossible situation. It wasn't our intention to cause any offence." Additionally, Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
received 23 complaints from viewers who said the gay Muslim storyline was offensive to their faith. In the same month, the Syed-Christian storyline was commented on in Stonewall
Stonewall
The word Stonewall may refer to* a stone wall* a verb meaning "to refuse to cooperate, especially in supplying information" -Games and entertainment:* "Stonewall structure" of pawns in the chess opening theory:** Stonewall Attack...
research, which found that positive and realistic gay characters appear in just 0.6% of broadcast television. Stonewall noted the romance storyline was a predominantly violent and unhappy one. Among readers of Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
, Syed and Christian came second in a poll of characters favoured to marry on-screen in 2011.
In January 2011, Elliott was nominated for Serial Drama Performance at the 2011 National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
for his portrayal of Syed but did not make it to the shortlist. Inside Soap readers voted Syed their favourite member of the Masood family.
Response from previous cast members
Syed, along with the rest of the Masood family, was criticised by actor Deepak VermaDeepak Verma
Deepak Verma, is a British Asian actor, writer and television/film producer.- Career :Verma trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama for three years . He made his television debut in the Scottish detective series, Taggart in 1992...
, who played Sanjay Kapoor
Sanjay Kapoor (EastEnders)
Sanjay Kapoor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Deepak Verma.Sanjay the market trader had an eye for the ladies and a weakness for gambling...
between 1993 and 1998. He said that EastEnders had failed to portray Asian families in a realistic manner, branding the family "two-dimensional and ill-conceived". A BBC spokesperson responded by saying "It's a shame Deepak feels that way but that's clearly his personal opinion. The Masood family have proved to be hugely popular with EastEnders viewers." During Syed's gay storyline, actor Jimi Mistry
Jimi Mistry
-Early life:Mistry, was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England to an Indian Hindu father and an Irish Roman Catholic mother. He was brought up a Roman Catholic and attended St. James' Catholic High in Cheadle Hulme before his family moved to Cardiff where he attended Radyr Comprehensive School...
, who played gay Asian character Fred Fonseca in EastEnders between 1998 and 2000, expressed surprise in October 2009 at another gay Asian storyline in the programme. Mistry said "It's amazing, isn't it? It was ten years ago when we did it and they're still going down that path. I can't really comment though. I did my stint and I did see they were going along that road again but it's their choice. They must think that people have forgotten the last time they did it, so maybe they're just redoing it in a different way."
See also
- List of EastEnders characters (2009)
- List of LGBT characters in film, radio, and TV fiction