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Masood Ahmed is a fictional character from the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

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soap opera ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'', played by

Nitin Ganatra Nitin Chandra Ganatra (born 30 June 1967) is a Kenyan-born British actor. He is known for portraying Masood Ahmed in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. Early and personal life Ganatra was born on 30 June 1967 in Kenya. Both sides of Ganatra' ...

. The character made his first appearance in episode 3452, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 October 2007. Masood was introduced as part of the Masood family, a

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

i-Muslim family gradually introduced across 2007 as part of plans to "diversify" the serial. This marked Ganatra's first role in soap opera and he was "nervous but excited" about joining the serial. His problematic marriage to

Zainab Masood Zainab Khan (also Masood) is a character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Nina Wadia.

(

Nina Wadia Nina Wadia (born 18 December 1968) is a British actress and comedian. She is known for portraying Zainab Masood in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', Aunty Noor in Citizen Khan Mrs Hussein in the BBC comedy ''Still Open All Hours'', and for st ...

), who he had previously starred alongside, served as a key storyline for the character throughout his tenure. Early storylines for the character include bankruptcy and struggling to accept his son Syed Masood's (

Marc Elliott Marc Gilbert F Elliott (born 19 October 1979) is an English actor from Stratford-upon-Avon, England, who is known for his role as Syed Masood in the BBC television soap opera '' EastEnders''. Personal life Elliott was born on 19 October 1979 ...

) homosexuality. Wadia and Ganatra received positive reception from viewers and critics and were nominated for several awards. In 2011, the character had an affair with

Jane Beale Lesley Jane Beale (also Clarke and Collins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Laurie Brett. She made her first appearance on 22 June 2004. Brett took maternity leave in 2011 and departed on 19 May. Sh ...

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Laurie Brett Laurie Brett (born 28 March 1969) is a Scottish actress, best known for her roles as Jane Beale in the BBC One soap opera '' EastEnders'' and Christine Mulgrew in the BBC One school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road''. Early and personal life ...

), which led to end of his and Zainab's marriage, before embarking on a feud with

Yusef Khan Yusef Khan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Ace Bhatti. Yusef is the father of Afia Khan (Meryl Fernandes) and former husband of Zainab Masood ( Nina Wadia). He appears from 23 November ...

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Ace Bhatti Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti (born 13 September 1969) is a British actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has appeared in numerous television series, including ''Cardiac Arrest'', '' Holding On'', '' NCS: Manhunt'', '' ...

). Masood later begins a relationship with

Carol Jackson Carol Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as the mother of the Jackson family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned tem ...

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Lindsey Coulson Lindsey Coulson (born 13 April 1960) is an English actress, known for her role as Carol Jackson in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. For this role, she won the 2000 British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance. Coulson is also well known ...

), which develops into a love triangle following the return of Carol's former partner,

David Wicks David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC TV soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Michael French. David originally appeared from 23 December 1993 to 21 November 1996. He returned to the show on 1 January 2012 and departed two weeks later ...

(

Michael French Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in ''EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in ''Casualty'' and former ca ...

). The character has since entered into relationships with

Carmel Kazemi The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. January saw the ar ...

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Bonnie Langford Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...

Belinda Peacock The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2001, by order of appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer, John Yorke. The first character to be introduced ...

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Carli Norris Carli Jo Norris (born 23 June 1974) is an English actress, known for her roles as Anoushka Flynn in '' Doctors'', Martha Kane in ''Hollyoaks'' and taking over the role of Belinda Peacock in ''EastEnders''. Career In June 1997, just before off ...

) and

Kathy Beale Kathy Beale (also Mitchell and Sullivan) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Gillian Taylforth. Portrayed as "an attractive, bright, caring and highly moral woman", Kathy is one of the serial's original ch ...

(

Gillian Taylforth Gillian Taylforth (born 14 August 1955) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Kathy Beale on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', and has also appeared as Jackie Pascoe/Webb on ITV's ''Footballers' Wives'' (2002–2006), and as ...

). Ganatra's departure was announced on 1 September 2016, becoming the last member of the Masood family to leave. Masood made his departure in episode 5388, broadcast on 17 November 2016. In October 2017, it was announced that Masood would be returning to the show full-time, along with members of his extended family. He made a brief appearance on 28 November 2017 and returned permanently on 1 January 2018. On 26 January 2019, it was announced Ganatra had quit the soap again and Masood departed in episode 5871, originally broadcast on 19 February 2019. Masood left the square to live in Pakistan.

Storylines

When Masood arrives in Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007, both Masood and Zainab are active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab is the new owner of the post office in Walford. Masood goes to

to look after his sick father, but when he returns he discovers that his family are in serious debt. He attempts to resolve the problems to no avail. Due to their financial problems the Masoods are forced to close down the post office. They lie to the local residents that the government has closed them down, and they are then forced to reveal the truth when the residents start protesting. As well as this, daughter Shabnam decides to leave Walford in October 2008 to travel in Pakistan. The Masoods attempt to turn their fortunes around, starting a catering business called "Masala Masood".

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and, following the departure of Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard) in 2006, became the only one ...

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Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', which he played between 1985 and 2022. Early life and education Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in W ...

) invests £2,000 and the company merges with Ian and

Christian Clarke Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', portrayed by John Partridge. He first appeared in the show's 3,509th episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 17 January 2008, and was introduced ...

's ( John Partridge) catering company "Fit for a Queen", becoming "Masala Queen". Zainab accuses Masood of stealing money from the business, but Tamwar admits taking the money – lending it to his older brother, Syed. Masood reveals that Syed's actions are why he left the family; he had stolen money from the family business and is continuing to do so. Despite this, Zainab contacts Syed and meets him away from Walford, making Masood think she is having an affair. However, the truth is revealed, and Syed moves to Albert Square. Syed also gets engaged to his girlfriend

Amira Shah Amira Masood (also Shah) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Preeya Kalidas. The girlfriend, and later wife, of Syed Masood (Marc Elliott), Amira first appeared on screen in the episode broadcast on 7 May ...

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Preeya Kalidas Preeya Kalidas (born 21 June 1980) is a British singer and actress. She played Amira Masood in the soap opera ''EastEnders'', from 2009 to 2012. She released the single "Shimmy" in July 2010, taken from her proposed debut album ''(I'm Over It) ...

). Masood plans to take Zainab on a trip around the world. However, Zainab tells Masood she is pregnant, scuppering their plans. In order to earn extra income and money, Masood works an extra shift at the taxi firm, despite being exhausted. When he drives

Rachel Branning The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2006, by order of first appearance. 2006 was a year when many families joined ''EastEnders''. First, Deano Wicks, his sister Carly Wicks and fa ...

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Pooky Quesnel Joanna Gabrielle "Pooky" Quesnel (born 30 April 1966) is an English actress, screenwriter and singer. Early life Quesnel was born and raised in Eccles, Lancashire, along with her five siblings. Her father was born in Trinidad. She read English ...

) home to

Tring Tring is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated in a gap passing through the Chiltern Hills, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from Central London. Tring is linked to ...

, he falls asleep at the wheel and crashes the car. PC Henderson (Jem Wall) questions Masood about the incident and Amira says he swerved to avoid someone on a moped. The police leave and Amira says she lied because she does not want two fathers in prison. Before Syed and Amira's wedding, Masood visits his brother Inzamam (

Paul Bhattacharjee Gautam Paul Bhattacharjee (4 May 1960 – c. 10 July 2013) was a British actor who worked on stage, film and television. Early life and career The son of Gautam Bhattacharjee, a member of the Indian Communist Party who had to flee from the co ...

) to ask if he can help pay for the wedding. Zainab reveals that Inzamam has made advances towards her many times. Angry, Masood returns Inzamam's money and tells him he and his family are not welcome in their home any more. A month after the wedding, Masood is unaware that there have been problems in Syed and Amira's relationship. Zainab goes into labour, and Masood delivers the baby, Kamil. Masood's line manager David Hensler (Jonty Stephens) arrives with a colleague, saying there has been an allegation of stolen post and they must search the house. They find a package of

Max Branning Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006. Wood took a four-month break from the show in 2011 and the character was absent between August and No ...

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Jake Wood Jake Dylan Wood (born 12 July 1972) is an English actor and podcaster, known for his role as Max Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He has also made guest appearances in series including ''Only Fools and Horses'' and ''Red Dwarf''. ...

) and Masood receives a caution. Masood walks in on Syed and Christian kissing on the floor of Syed and Amira's new flat and quickly leaves. When Syed admits to his parents that he is gay, Masood attempts to convince Syed that he has a loving wife and a child, but Syed ignores this, and leaves his home. Masood believes that he is no longer part of the family and doesn't even want to hear his name, unlike Zainab who misses him dearly. Amira's father Qadim (

Ramon Tikaram Ramon Tikaram is a British stage and screen actor of Indo-Fijian and Southeast Asian descent. He is known for playing such roles as Ferdy in the BBC television series '' This Life'' and Qadim Shah in the BBC One soap opera '' EastEnders''. Ea ...

) arrives looking for Syed, and after Qadim and his associates beat Christian up, Christian sees Masood outside and begs for help, but Masood leaves him. The next day, Masood regrets his actions, saying that he should've helped Christian but is soon found out by Christian's sister,

(

). Jane reveals that Zainab knew about Syed's sexuality even before his wedding. Masood and Zainab argue, and he packs her belongings and physically throws her out. The couple reconcile, however, and Syed moves back into the family home. However, he eventually reunites with Christian, and Masood and Zainab cut off their son again. Tamwar starts seeing

Afia Khan Afia Masood (also Khan) is a Character (arts), fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Meryl Fernandes. Afia appeared in five episodes between 29 December 2009 and 5 January 2010, and returned on 18 November 2010. ...

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Meryl Fernandes Meryl Glynis Fernandes (born 1983) is an English actress and presenter. She played Afia Masood, a love interest for Tamwar Masood ( Himesh Patel) in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', originally making a guest appearance between 29 December ...

) and her father,

Yusef Yusuf ibn Ya'qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ( ar, يوسف ٱبن يعقوب ٱبن إسحاق ٱبن إبراهيم, Yūsuf ibn Yaʿqūb ibn ʾIsḥāq ibn ʾIbrāhīm, ) is a Prophets and messengers in Islam, prophet mentioned in the Quran, and ...

(

), turns up and shocks Zainab as he is her former husband whose family set her on fire. He reveals he tried to save her life and he came to make peace, but Masood attacks him and throws him out. Masood discovers that Zainab is planning to buy the Argee Bhajee restaurant against his wishes. Masood meets Jane and they console each other about their respective partners. They meet again and go to a hotel with the intention of sex. However, they both change their minds and decide to remain friends. Zainab continues to defy Masood, and proceeds with her bid for the restaurant. She is successful, but only after paying an inflated price for it. Feeling guilty, he supports her purchase. Ian learns of Masood and Jane's encounter, and confronts him, punching Masood in the face. Tamwar invites Afia to the opening of the Argee Bhajee, Zainab and Masood agree to let Tamwar see Afia in the hope it will fizzle out. When Tamwar and Afia says they are in love, Yusef blesses them to marry, which Zainab and Masood are very displeased about, as they do not want Yusef to become a part of their family. After the roof of the Argee Bhajee collapses and the restaurant is forced to shut, the Masoods find themselves in debt. Zainab finds out that Phil loaned money to Masood for Tamwar's wedding and is furious. Masood is forced to admit that he is

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...

by playing

poker Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...

for Phil in an effort to pay their debt. This angers Zainab as Masood had previously sworn that he would never gamble again, as lost family money to gambling many years ago. Masood kidnaps Yusef in an attempt to scare him off, but when Yusef returns, he claims that Masood beat him and covered him in petrol, when he did not. Zainab kicks Masood out and he is banned from Afia and Tamwar's mehndi. At the mehndi, Afia's aunt tells everyone that Yusef and Zainab are having an affair, having misunderstood and overheard conversation, and Zainab denies this. She invites Masood to dinner, and there is a chance that they might reconcile until

Denise Fox Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left ''EastEnders'' in early 2008 to give birth to her ...

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Diane Parish Diane Parish (born 1 November 1969) is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006 Born in Chelsea, London and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Pari ...

) reveals that Yusef stayed at Zainab's house overnight, so Masood leaves. As part of his plan to destroy the Masood family, Yusef crushes up a bottle of pills and conceals them in Zainab's food. Zainab passes out and is hospitalised, with her family believing she took a deliberate overdose. Concerned that he is causing Zainab's worries, Masood divorces Zainab by saying the

triple talaq Divorce in Islam can take a variety of forms, some initiated by the husband and some initiated by the wife. The main traditional legal categories are ''talaq'' ( repudiation), ''khulʿ'' (mutual divorce or ransom divorce) Historically, the rules ...

. Yusef persuades Zainab to go on holiday with him to Pakistan, and while they are away, Amira returns with her and Syed's daughter, Yasmin. Masood is delighted to learn that he is a grandfather, and vows to reunite and repair his family, especially when it emerges that Yusef has falsified a paternity test to show that Syed is not Yasmin's father. However, Masood despairs when he sees Zainab talking to Yusef again, and declares that he has given up on her. Yusef later tells Masood that he has moven in with Zainab. Masood goes to Jane, who has now returned to Walford divorced from Ian, and tells her he cannot be just friends with her and they kiss. The pair then begin a discreet relationship. On the day that Masood and Zainab's divorce is finalised, Syed and Amira spot Masood together with Jane. Zainab then learns of the relationship. She wishes Masood well, but also tells him that she is marrying Yusef. Masood is shocked, but supports her decision. When Yusef tells Masood and Jane about them taking Kamil to Pakistan, Zainab and Jane argue. Later, Masood and Jane go to dinner at Ian and Mandy's house. At the dinner, Ian asks how Masood and Jane's relationship can develop if Jane is not a Muslim. A drunken Jane replies that she will convert, to the amazement of Masood. Masood talks to Jane about the sacrifices she will have to make to become a Muslim, and tells her he does not expect her to convert. Jane is relieved and decides not to convert after all. Masood finds a letter from Zainab asking for help, and discovers that Yusef has kidnapped Kamil. He plans with Zainab to stop Yusef taking her to Pakistan, and eventually tracks down Kamil and the police are called on Yusef. However, Afia lets him go and he escapes to the B&B where Masood stays during a party. Yusef reveals to Masood that it was not his family who started the fire which nearly killed Zainab but he himself, before setting the building on fire. Masood is caught in the fire with Yusef but tries to save him, however, Yusef is killed while Masood is rescued. Masood and Zainab then reunite, and he later proposes. Masood's brother AJ Ahmed (

Phaldut Sharma Phaldut "Paul" Sharma, also known as Paul Sharma, is a UK-based actor and dancer. He is best known for his roles in Gavin and Stacey as Achmed and Eastenders as AJ Ahmed . Career Television and film Sharma played Vinnay Ramdas in '' Casualty'' ...

) arrives in Walford and Masood makes sure AJ avoids Zainab. AJ later proves to be a bad influence on Masood when they damage

Derek Branning Derek Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Terence Beesley in 1996 and then Jamie Foreman from 2011 to 2012. Derek is the eldest child of Jim Branning (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graha ...

's (

Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman (born 25 May 1958) is an English actor best known for his roles as Duke in ''Layer Cake'' (2004) and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's ''Oliver Twist'' (2005). Career Foreman played opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldm ...

) car with a shopping trolley. Derek later warns Masood that he has until the following day to repair the damage. When AJ discovers that Masood and Zainab are divorced, AJ later admits to Masood that he came to Walford because his wife has left him. Masood decides to catch up with AJ and tell him all about what had happened with Yusef. AJ leaves after taking Masood and Zainab's advice to reunite with his wife, but later returns when they split up for good. Zainab is unhappy when Masood says he wants to become a teaching assistant, but she eventually comes around to the idea and he starts his new job. Christian and Syed marry, but bailiffs arrive as the mortgage for the restaurant is four months in arrears. Masood and AJ try to get money from Kamil and Tamwar's trust funds to pay them but Masood finds the bank accounts are empty. He is angry at Zainab for keeping further secrets, and Syed reveals she took the money for him, and that the business is in ruins because of him. Masood then forces Zainab to leave Walford. When she returns, Masood is angry that she was not around during financial problems. However, they reconcile.

Ayesha Rana The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April. ...

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Shivani Ghai Shivaani Ghai (born 25 April 1975) is an English actress. Early life Ghai is of Indian origin and was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. She grew up in Gosforth and attended Gosforth High School. Later, she went to university, where she gained a BA ...

) comes to stay so she can meet Rashid Kayani ( Gurpreet Singh), her suitor. However, Ayesha develops a crush on Masood, which he keeps hidden from Zainab. Masood makes it clear to Ayesha that he is not interested. Zainab buys an expensive water feature so that her neighbours will not think the family is poor, and she appears to care more about that than her relationship with Masood. When the water feature is sabotaged by

Tiffany Butcher Tiffany Butcher-Baker (also Dean and Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) ...

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Maisie Smith Maisie Louise Collender Smith (born 9 July 2001) is an English actress and singer. She appeared in the feature film ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2008) and played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 ...

) and

Morgan Butcher The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' which aired in 2008 (by order of first appearance). All characters were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Santer introduced four ...

(Devon Higgs), Zainab blames Masood, who smashes the water feature in frustration. Ayesha tells Zainab she loves Masood and says he feels the same. Zainab tells her to leave, which she does. Masood and Zainab have several discussions and arguments, and eventually split, with Zainab taking Kamil and moving back to Pakistan. Masood becomes close to

(

) and they arrange a date. It is put on hold when Ayesha returns, but Masood rejects her advances and she leaves. He tries again with Carol, but

(

) comes back to Walford and Carol takes him in. When David attempts to come between Masood and Carol, Masood invites Carol to live with him, which she does, but returns to live with David after one night. Masood takes the breakup badly and loses Tamwar's university fund in a poker game to

Alfie Moon Alfie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005. He returned to ''EastEnders'' on 21 September 2010, following th ...

(

Shane Richie Shane Patrick Paul Roche (born 11 March 1964), known as Shane Richie, is a British actor, comedian, television presenter and singer. Following initial success as a stage and screen performer, he became best known for his portrayal of the charac ...

). When Tamwar discovers that his savings are missing, Masood lets Tamwar's friend Fatboy (

Ricky Norwood Richard Colin Norwood (born 15 November 1986) is a British actor who played Fatboy in the soap opera ''EastEnders'' and its online spin-off ''EastEnders: E20''. Ricky appeared on ''Celebrity Big Brother 18'' in 2016, finishing as runner-up behin ...

) take the blame. When Masood is found in an alleyway after being mugged, Tamwar is left to look after him. Tamwar's new boss, Aleks Shirovs ( Kristian Kiehling), arrives at his house and accuses Tamwar of stealing money from the workplace, when it was actually Masood. Tamwar discovers this after Aleks leaves, and shouts and insults Masood, who retaliates by punching Tamwar in the mouth. The next day, Tamwar tries to throw Masood out of the house, but he throws a drink over him and refuses to move out. Fatboy then calls Shabnam (now played by

Rakhee Thakrar Rakhee Thakrar (born 29 February 1984) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Shabnam Masood in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2014–2016) and Emily Sands in the Netflix comedy-drama ''Sex Education'' (2019–2021). She als ...

) and reveals that Masood punched Tamwar, so she returns to Albert Square permanently. Much to Shabnam's disapproval, Masood and Jane begin dating again when she returns to Walford. Shabnam attempts to reunite Jane with her ex-husband Ian, even though Ian is now engaged to Denise. When Ian's daughter,

Lucy Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning ''as of light'' (''born at dawn or daylight'', maybe also ''shiny'', or ''of light complexion''). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Lu ...

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Hetti Bywater Harriet Jessica Phoebe “Hetti” Bywater (born 10 September 1994) is an English former actress. She is best known for portraying Lucy Beale in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', taking over the role from Melissa Suffield in January 2012 until ...

) is murdered (see

Who Killed Lucy Beale? "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. It was announced on 21 February 2014 and began on 18 April 2014, when Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) was discovered dead on Walford Common from a deliberately inflicte ...

), Jane and Ian find solace together and have sex. Jane then breaks up with Masood and abruptly leaves Walford. Masood, having found out what had transpired between Ian and Jane, angrily accuses Ian of stealing his girlfriend but later feels remorse about confronting Ian while he was grieving. Weeks later, Masood helps Ian out at Ian's restaurant and the two make amends. Ian then offers Masood a job. Masood starts gambling once again after being denied the chance to acquire the Arjee Barjee, he uses his family's money to fund his habit Following Shabnam's engagement to

Kush Kazemi The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer. ...

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Davood Ghadami Davood Ghadami ( fa, داوود قدمی; born 7 August 1982) is an English actor. Following his appearances in ''Taggart'' in 2010, he appeared in the BBC medical programmes '' Doctors'' and ''Casualty'' in recurring roles. In 2014, he began p ...

), Masood overhears them talking about her daughter, Roya, who she gave up for adoption seven years previously. He confronts her and she admits it is true. Inzamam's wife

Fatima Inzamam The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2010 listed by order of first appearance. Executive producer Diederick Santer left ''EastEnders'' on 26 February 2010, handing over to Bry ...

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Anu Hassan Anu Haasan (born Anuradha Chandrahaasan on 16 July 1970) is an Indian actress and TV anchor. She made her film debut in the critically acclaimed '' Indira'' (1995) and has since appeared in many Tamil films, playing minor roles. She hosted the c ...

) tells Masood the child, now called Jade Green (Amaya Edward), was not adopted and she knows where she is. Following a heated exchange with Shabnam over Jade's welfare, Masood is banned from her wedding although they later reconcile. Shabnam is shocked when she catches Masood and Kush's mother

(

) in bed together. When Zainab cannot attend Kush and Shabnam's wedding, Masood goes to Pakistan and convinces her to send Kamil to attend the wedding. Masood later tells Tamwar that Zainab has been planning on cutting off all ties to her family. When prompted by Tamwar, Masood calls Zainab and refuses her access to Kamil unless she comes back to Walford to collect him herself. Masood later visits Carmel to tell her this, and the two agree to go out for drinks as just friends, though they have sex with Carmel is feeling lonely. Masood finds out that Kush is the father of

Stacey Branning Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a fe ...

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Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2004–2010, 2014–present), for which she has won over thirty awards, including four ...

) baby son

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...

and that Carmel knew about this, so he accuses Carmel of lying to him and punches Kush. Shabnam leaves Walford, and later, Masood learns that Zainab is getting married in Pakistan and she wants Tamwar and Kamil to attend, sending him money for plane tickets. Masood gives the money to Tamwar, who is planning to travel with his girlfriend

Nancy Carter Nancy Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Maddy Hill. Nancy's first appearance is in a combination of the show's 4775th and 4776th episodes, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 1 January ...

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Maddy Hill Madeleine Kate Hayley Hill (born 19 March 1990) is an English actress, known for her roles as Nancy Carter in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' and Ruby Spark in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty''. Career Hill trained at Rose Bruford College ...

). Tina Carter (

Luisa Bradshaw-White Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...

) sets up a dating profile for Masood and he arranges a date but she leaves when she sees him, and he blames Carmel, calling her jealous. He tells Tamwar he has failed in life, prompting Tamwar to decide not to leave. However, he apologises to Carmel and she advises him to face Zainab and then go on holiday so he can move on with his life. Masood agrees to do so and books three tickets to Pakistan and Thailand, telling Masood and Nancy that the three of them can travel together. However, this does not happen and after sharing an emotional goodbye with Masood, Tamwar leaves with Nancy alone. Masood mistakes Denise's encourages to find romance as flirting and holds her hand, upsetting Carmel, but Masood is embarrassed when he realises his mistake. Carmel later suggests she and Masood enter a casual sexual relationship as friends. Masood, although flattered, declines the offer. After he, Denise and Carmel make a pact to make the most out of life, Masood reveals that he has booked for him and Kamil to go travelling for 10 months. Carmel and Denise tell Masood that that is not a good idea as it would mean taking Kamil out of school and Carmel will miss Masood. However, Masood is adamant on going and Carmel is later stunned when she notices Masood's house is up for let, but she and Denise put it down to Masood suffering a

midlife crisis A midlife crisis is a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle age, middle-aged individuals, typically 40 to 60 years old. The phenomenon is described as a psychological crisis brought about by events that highlight a pe ...

. Denise sets Carmel and Masood up on a date so that their arrangement can become more romantic, and Carmel tells Denise that Masood has cancelled his travelling plans for her, but Denise hears that Masood is still planning to go, and Carmel is upset, so Denise tells Masood that he has been leading Carmel on. After learning that Denise is pregnant, Masood becomes her confidante when she reveals that the father is

Phil Mitchell Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...

(

Steve McFadden Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has played since 1990. He was also the presenter of the game show, ''Britain's ...

), which leaves him stunned, but he promises not to reveal her secret before leaving. Masood returns a few weeks later with Kamil, and is shocked to find that Carmel and her youngest son Shakil Kazemi (

Shaheen Jafargholi Shaheen Jafargholi ( fa, شاهین جعفرقلی; born 23 January 1997) is a Welsh actor and singer. In 2009, he finished in seventh place on the ITV competition series ''Britain's Got Talent''. Since then, he has portrayed the roles of Shak ...

) have moved into his house. Masood is forced to move in with them but claims that he is back because Kamil was homesick, though he admits to Jane that he missed Carmel, however, Masood and Carmel end up arguing over Carmel's furniture and things between them grow tense when she accuses him of being lazy and badly influencing Shakil. Masood later grows close to

(

) when attempting to help her salon business, "Elysium", out of financial difficulty. They later agree they are attracted to each other, but she wants him to invest money so he makes her choose either the money or a relationship, so she opts for the latter. Carmel and Belinda's cousin, Stacey, disapprove of the relationship, especially when Belinda attempts to change Masood's dress sense. However, Belinda and Masood have sex on the salon floor. Masood hears that Zainab is getting divorced and calls her in Pakistan to comfort her and he books two tickets to Pakistan, while Belinda leaves Walford to go travelling with a friend. Carmel tries to stop Masood leaving but he insists he is doing what is best for Kamil. Denise is against him leaving and they have a falling out, but Carmel warns her not to let things end badly, so they make amends and he explains that all he sees in Walford is ghosts of the past. Masood says goodbye to his friends and leaves Walford with Kamil, with Jane saying they will always be here if he needs them. He and Kamil then leave, returning to Pakistan. A year later, Masood visits the Square to tell Carmel he is evicting her at the end of the year. Several months later, he moves in his uncle

Arshad Arshad is an Arabic male given name and a surname. It means "the right path". Notable people with the name include: Given name *Arshad Ali (disambiguation), several people * Arshad Ayub (born 1958), Indian cricketer *Arshad Hasan, executive direc ...

(

Madhav Sharma Madhav Sharma (born 12 November 1939) is an Indian-British actor. Early life Sharma studied at the Scottish Church College in Kolkata, India and later, at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Bloomsbury, London. Following the death of his m ...

) and aunt

Mariam Ahmed The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2018, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive consultant, John Yorke. Madhav Sharma and Indira Josh ...

(Indira Joshi), to give them more space for fostering. When Masood returns to the square, he speaks to

Jack Branning Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham) and the brot ...

(

Scott Maslen Scott Alexander Maslen (born 25 June 1971) is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's ''The Bill'' and Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap ''EastEnders'' since 2007. He also took part in the 20 ...

) about renting a flat and borrows money from Arshad to pay the deposit. He also tries to con Carmel out of her security deposit but she threatens him into returning it. Masood sleeps in his ice cream truck as business is failing and he is homeless. Mariam and Arshad's foster daughter, Daisy (Amelie Smith), moves in and Masood is left to look after her but she goes missing when he leaves the room. The police are contacted, and in the search for Daisy, Masood's ice cream van is found and he is forced to reveal his lack of success to his family. Ian finds Daisy and returns her to the Ahmeds, but delays taking her back because Masood joked to him that Arshad and Mariam religiously brainwash children. The police are unimpressed and a report has to be filed about Daisy's disappearance, which Masood worries will harm his family's fostering. Masood moves in with Arshad and Mariam, who want Masood to pay rent despite owning the house, and Masood gains a job as a barman at The Vic, pretending to Arshad and Mariam he is a salesman. Masood quits his job from The Vic when Arshad finds out he is a barman, though he is taken on at Ian's fish shop, though customers do not like Masood's Indian twist. However,

Robbie Jackson Robbie Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Dean Gaffney. The character was introduced in 1993, but axed in 2003 by executive producer Louise Berridge. He made brief returns in 2004 and 2010 for two ...

(

Dean Gaffney Dean Martin Gaffney (born 14 February 1978) is an English actor, known for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 1993 to 2003 and 2017 to 2019; he also made guest appearances in 2004, 2010 and 2015. In 2006, he ...

) who has mistakenly eaten Masood's samosas thinking that it was a bonus lunch, tells Masood to sell them on the market. Masood is ashamed to ask Mariam for the recipe to the samosas and lies that he needs her to cook them for his date. Mariam makes them but discovers that Masood is lying and she believes that he wants a new wife. Mariam arranges a date between him and a lawyer named Noor, but he eventually tells Mariam the truth and she agrees to help him. Masood sells the samosas in the chip shop in secret but Ian's mother,

(

), finds out and sacks him, however, she gives his job back when she realises the samosas are increasing trade. However, when Ian returns from a trip, he sacks Masood after Masood requests a cut of the profits from the samosa sales. Masood then plans to sell street food but his old van has been vandalised and he asks

Mo Harris Mo Harris (also known as "Big Mo") is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', who made her first appearance on 18 September 2000, played by Laila Morse. Mo is also played by Lorraine Stanley in the 2004 soap "bubble" '' ...

(

Laila Morse Maureen Oldman (born 1 August 1945), known professionally as Laila Morse, is an English actress. Her roles include Janet in the drama film '' Nil by Mouth'' (1997) and Mo Harris in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Early life Laila Morse wa ...

) to set up an online fundraiser. It is successful but he is forced to delete it because Mo has falsely claimed that Masood has

neurocysticercosis Neurocysticercosis is a specific form of the infectious parasitic disease cysticercosis that is caused by the infection with ''Taenia solium'', a tapeworm found in pigs. Neurocysticercosis occurs when cysts formed by the infection take hold with ...

. Masood and Ian both arrange to meet Alison Smith (Julianne White), a woman who is looking to invest in local businesses, but Ian accidentally takes Masood's business plan into his meeting. Alison is impressed but when Masood realises the error, Alison offers double the investment if they are a partnership, and they both accept. Masood plans to use his van while Ian will reopen his restaurant. However, Ian continuously attempts to push Masood out of the decision-making process. When Mariam and Arshad give Masood a large sum of cash, Masood decides he no longer needs Ian's help but is unable to tell him after Ian finds Shakil Kazemi (

), who has been stabbed, and puts him in the recovery position. Ian and Masood argue over the restaurant, especially when Ian's flyers barely mention Masood's side of the business and Masood lies about getting the cheque from the investor. Ian is humiliated when he gets locked inside Masood's van due to a broken lock, especially after not realising the passenger works and Kathy lets him out. Club manager

Mel Owen Melanie "Mel" Owen (also Healy and Beale) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Tamzin Outhwaite. Mel was introduced by executive producer Matthew Robinson and made her first appearance on 19 October 1998 ...

(

Tamzin Outhwaite Tamzin Maria Outhwaite (; born 5 November 1970) is an English actress, presenter and narrator. Since playing the role of Mel Owen in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', she has starred in a number of theatre and television productions, includi ...

), who Ian is trying to impress, clashes with Ian and Masood over where their van is parked, and is unhappy every time it is moved. She tells Ian that parking it in a commercial street violates a rule and she will report them to the council. Ian lies to Masood that Mel complained to the council, but Masood realises and tells Ian to stop cutting him out of the business, and Ian tells Mel that they can work together to increase each other's business. Ian pretends to be ill to Masood so he can discuss business with Mel and when Masood finds out, he him the van will be called "Masood at Walford East" and Ian cannot object. While working together in the restaurant, Masood and Kathy share some lingering looks and touches. When the restaurant launches, Ian catches Masood and Kathy kissing, which causes an argument and a ''Walford Gazette'' photographer captures Ian throwing cake at Masood. Ian is humiliated by the news report and decides to cut Masood out of the business and change the menu. Ian accuses Kathy of never listening to him, breaking her promise to "be his mum again" and always wanting something else than her family, so Kathy ends things with Masood. Masood finds out Tamwar and Nancy are to marry in Australia. When Kathy returns from a holiday, she tells Masood she wants a proper relationship with him; he says he wants the same and they kiss. They tell Ian about their relationship, and Masood asks Kathy to be his guest at Tamwar and Nancy's wedding and then says he wants them both to live in Australia. However, Kathy says she needs to stay in Walford because Ian's son, Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell), is due to be released for prison and her family need her. Masood decides to sell his share of the restaurant to Max, and when Kathy finds out, she confronts Masood but he says he cannot make her choose between him and her family and he also has to be with his family, so they cannot continue their relationship. Mariam and Arshad's granddaughters,

Iqra Al-ʻAlaq or The Clot ( ar, العلق, ''al-ʻalaq'', also known as "The Clinging Thing" or "The Embryo"), is the 96th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an. It is composed of 19 '' āyāt'' or verses. It is sometimes also known as Sūrat Iqrā (, ...

(

Priya Davdra Priya Davdra (born 12 April 1987) is a British actress, known for portraying the role of Iqra Ahmed on the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Davdra's character is the first Muslim lesbian to appear on ''EastEnders''. Ea ...

) and Habiba Ahmed (

Rukku Nahar Rukku Priya Nahar (born 28 February 1996) is a British actress, known for her roles as Selina Khan on the CBBC series ''Wolfblood'' and Habiba Ahmed on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. Early life Nahar was born on 28 February 1996 in Bedfo ...

), arrive and tell Masood they will look after the restaurant and his house while he is in Australia and Masood allows it because he knows Ian and Max will not like it. Masood and Kathy share one last kiss before he leaves Walford to live in Australia.

Other appearances

Masood appears in the spin-off series '' EastEnders: E20''. In episode 1 of series 1, Fatboy (

) attempts to sell him

Zsa Zsa Carter Zsa Zsa Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' and its internet spin-off '' EastEnders: E20'', played by Emer Kenny. She is the daughter of Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White). She made her first appearance in ...

's (

Emer Kenny Emer Gwynne Morganna Kenny (born 10 October 1989) is a British actress and screenwriter. Career Kenny made her professional debut in the 2007 BBC television drama ''Coming Down the Mountain'', and, in 2009, she made her film debut in Phil Clayd ...

) belongings that he found but he leaves when

Leon Small Leon Small is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and its Internet spin-off ''EastEnders: E20'', played by Sam Attwater. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January and appears in all twelve episodes of the ...

(

Sam Attwater Samuel Attwater (born 10 April 1986) is an English actor and singer who played Leon Small in the British soap opera ''EastEnders'' and its online spin-off '' EastEnders: E20''. He won the sixth series of '' Dancing on Ice'' in March 2011 and p ...

) interrupts. In episode 2 of series 2, Masood is on the tube clutching his rucksack and Stevie Dickinson (Amanda Fairbank-Hynes) suspects he is a terrorist, and tells him that love can heal his pain but

Naz Mehmet Nazan "Naz" Mehmet is a fictional character from '' EastEnders: E20'', an Internet spin-off from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Emaa Hussen. Naz is a main character in series 2, where she is joined by brothers Asher (Heshima Thom ...

(Emaa Hussen) pulls her away. Later, a drunken Stevie apologises and when Masood notices she is cold and wet, he offers her his coat. In episode 4, Stevie returns the coat while Masood is working on the market, and attempts to flirt with him, but her tactics fail. She later returns and flirts again, asking if she has any work going and he asks her to come back the next day. She thinks her flirting has worked so goes back but ends up flashing her bra, so Naz ushers her away. In episode 6 he comes out during the power cut caused by Stevie and

Sol Levi Solomon "Sol" Levi is a fictional character from '' EastEnders: E20'', an Internet spin-off of the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Tosin Cole. Sol is a main character in series 2, where he is joined by his older brother Asher Levi (He ...

(

Tosin Cole Tosin Cole (born 23 July 1992) is an American-born British actor. He is known for various roles in British television series and films. He began his on-screen career starring in '' The Cut'' and '' EastEnders: E20'', later securing a regular ro ...

) and asks why Stevie's is the only flat with electricity. In episode 10, Stevie kisses Masood, saying one day they will have tea together.

Creation

Background

Masood was one of several

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

characters introduced in 2007 by executive producer

Diederick Santer Diederick Santer (born 3 July 1969) 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. He was Chief Exec ...

. He was first seen in October 2007 as

Walford Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...

's new postman. Masood was the fourth character in the Masood family to make an appearance on-screen, joining his wife Zainab (

) and daughter

Shabnam Jharna Basak (born 17 August 1946), known by her stage name Shabnam, is a Bangladeshi–Pakistani stage and film actress. Actor Waheed Murad introduced her to the Pakistani film industry by offering her a lead role in his film ''Samundar'' in 1 ...

(

Zahra Ahmadi Zahra Ahmadi ( fa, زهرا احمدی; born 1983) is a British actress from Plymouth England of Persian descent. She is best known for playing the original Shabnam Masood in EastEnders. Career She is known for her role as Shabnam Masood in the ...

) who appeared in July 2007, and his son Tamwar (

Himesh Patel Himesh Jitendra Patel (born 13 October 1990) is a British actor, musician, and singer. He is known for portraying Tamwar Masood on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2007 to 2016, for starring in the 2019 musical romantic comedy film '' Y ...

) who appeared in October 2007. They are later joined in 2009 by their eldest son Syed (

). The Masoods were the first

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

family to join the show since the Karims, who appeared between 1987 and 1990, and they were the first Asian family to be introduced since the unsuccessful

Ferreira family The Ferreira family are a fictional family from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', that appeared on screen between 2003 and 2005. Created by Tony Jordan and introduced by Louise Berridge as a new Asian family, producers hoped they would become ...

in 2003. Panned by critics and viewers, the Ferreiras were dismissed as unrealistic by the Asian community in the UK, and were eventually axed in 2005. The introduction of more ethnic minority characters is part of Santer's plan to "diversify", to make ''EastEnders'' "feel more 21st century". Prior to 2007, ''EastEnders'' was heavily criticised by the

Commission for Racial Equality The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which aimed to address racial discrimination and promote racial equality. The commission was established in 1976, and disbanded in 2007 when its ...

(CRE), for not representing the

East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...

's real "ethnic make-up". It was suggested that the average proportion of visible minority faces on ''EastEnders'' was substantially lower than the actual ethnic minority population in East London boroughs, and it therefore reflected the East End in the 1960s, not the East End of the 2000s. Furthermore, it was suggested that an element of "

tokenism Tokenism is the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to be inclusive to members of minority groups, especially by recruiting people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of racial or gender equality wit ...

" and

stereotyping In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...

surrounded many of the minority characters in ''EastEnders''. The expansion of minority representation in ''EastEnders'' provides "more opportunities for audience identification with its characters, hence a wider appeal." Trevor Phillips, CRE chair, said: "balanced representation of ethnic minority communities in the media matters. The industry has a key part to play in this, it is a powerful tool and can go a long way towards helping to build an integrated society."

Casting

Ganatra, who appeared in '' Bride and Prejudice'' and ''

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. The story was originally ...

'', was cast in the role of Masood Ahmed. Ganatra had never acted in a soap before his role in ''EastEnders''. He commented: "I have grown up with this show and it seems to have become a part of the British fabric. But friends in America, Canada and India have all seen it or heard of it so it ain't icjust this island that it has an impact on... The executive producer, Diederick anter along with casting agent Julia, have been very open and welcoming. I am nervous but excited. I have been watching the show and it is really gripping me. The quality of actors are great, so I am really looking forward to working with them." Ganatra and Wadia have previous experience of playing a married couple. Both starred alongside each other in the play ''D'Yer Eat With Your Fingers?'' Wadia commented: "I'm absolutely thrilled as he's a fantastic actor. It's great fun working with Nitin as we both speak

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...

which means we can have a bit of fun on set!... He is a good friend. Another good thing about Mrs Masood's great relationship with her husband is that he shows her softer side — with him, you will get to see her smile!"

Personality

Ganatra discussed his character in 2010, suggesting that Masood is very flexible: "You'll get a different response from him in almost every situation. He's not predicable. He has his lighter moments and then his darker moments. It gives a lot of colour to play with."

Development

In December 2009,

(

) and

(

) attempt to con Masood and

(

), but they realise and double bluff them. Ganatra revealed that he enjoyed the storyline, "as I got to shout at Phil and Max a lot. As asoodI never get to act with anyone else other than his batty family. It was the first time I’ve exchanged any dialogue with Jake Wood and I’ve only said one line to Steve McFadden in two years." The character was indirectly involved in a storyline about Muslim homosexuality in 2010, when he discovered that his eldest son Syed was having an adulterous relationship with a man,

( John Partridge). Discussing his character's reaction, Ganatra said, "Masood's world falls apart. ..Masood has no idea what to do with what he's seen and ends up looking for advice from the

imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...

at the

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

. ..Masood's given a choice – either the community will disown the family or the family will have to disown Syed. ..Masood ayspredatory things to Syed and Christian, teasing them about knowing. So in a very subtle way, he lets them both know that he's aware of what's going on and they'd better stop. ..At first, it's not about what Syed's going through at all. It's about how it makes the family look. It's a very different dilemma to Zainab's. She's a reactive character, whereas Masood's pointing out that there's a bigger picture. Although Zainab appears to be the head of the household, they come from a patriarchal background. It's up to the father of the family to sort situations like this out - and in their culture, you're left with two choices: reject him or be rejected as a family. The whole community could turn on the Masoods." Masood begins a relationship with

(

) which is later troubled by the arrival of her ex-boyfriend

(

). Ganatra told Jon Peake from ''

TV Choice ''TV Choice'' is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group.

Departures and returns

In September 2016, it was announced that Ganatra had quit his role. His exit meant that there were no members of the Masood family left in the show at that time. Speaking of his decision to leave, Ganatra stated: ‘When I trained as an actor, I set out to play many different characters and never did I know that I would be so fortunate to have found a character that I have loved playing for nine years. However, after thinking long and hard, I have decided that it is time to get back out there and take on some other roles. I will of course miss everyone at EastEnders – I have had a brilliant time there, and who knows, one day Masood may be back." Ganatra also tweeted: "Genuinely touched by the response to news of my leaving #EastEnders. And thank you for the #masood love!!!" His final scenes aired on 17 November 2016 with

Julia's Theme The ''EastEnders'' theme tune was composed by Simon May. Leslie Osborne has a contractual composer credit, but did not contribute to the composition or recording. The theme, which is written in the key of E-flat major, is largely based upon p ...

being played over it. On 3 October 2017, it was announced that Ganatra would return to the show a year after his departure. Masood's return includes new Ahmed family members. Of his return, Ganatra said that it was a "lovely surprise" to be asked back and explained that he had been told that Masood "has still much to give to the show and is missed by the audience", saying he found it "hard to refuse". Masood's return aired on 28 November 2017. On 26 January 2019, it was announced that Ganatra had chosen to leave the show once again. The actor said: "When I was asked to return to ''EastEnders'', it was always with the intention of helping set up new Asian characters that continue the Masood family adventures," he explained. "With Arshad and Mariam at the helm and with the arrival of the feisty sisters

and Habiba, I can now venture off to new horizons as an actor. I am still deeply attached to Masood and have invested much emotion into making this character memorable," Nitin continued. "I am in awe of how loved he is by audiences and fans of all ages, from all cultures and religions and walks of life. Thank you. I am humbled by the love. I will of course miss ''EastEnders'' and the wonderful people that work tirelessly to bring audiences dramatic, funny and compelling stories." An ''EastEnders'' spokesperson added: "Nitin has been a wonderful addition to the cast and we wish him all the very best for the future." He departed on-screen in the episode broadcast on 19 February 2019, during the show's 34th anniversary.

Reception

Masood, along with the rest of his family, was criticised by actor

Deepak Verma Deepak Verma MBE (b. 11 February 1969) is a British actor, writer and television/film producer of Indian Punjabi descent and Hindu heritage. His role as market-stall trader Sanjay Kapoor in long-running BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' brought ...

, who played

Sanjay Kapoor Sanjay Surinder Kapoor (born 17 October 1965) is an Indian actor and film producer. He works in Hindi cinema, Indian television and web series. He is a member of the Surinder Kapoor family. Kapoor is the founder and director of 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." Ganatra has received a number of award nominations for his portrayal of Masood, including Best Actor at the 2010 and 2011

British Soap Awards The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies give ...

and Best Actor at the 2010 and 2011 ''Inside Soap'' Awards. Additionally, Ganatra and Wadia shared the award for 'Best On-Screen Partnership' at the 2009 British Soap Awards. In 2011 ''Inside Soap'' readers voted Masood their least favourite member of his family.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Masood Ahmed family Fictional British postal workers Fictional chefs Fictional Pakistani diaspora Fictional Muslims Fictional businesspeople Television characters introduced in 2007 Fictional gamblers Fictional market stallholders Male characters in television

Storylines

Other appearances

Creation

Background

Casting

Personality

Development

Departures and returns

Reception

See also

References

External links