BBC Asian Network on Friday announced the launch of new chat show in a podcast format, One More Chai, coming to the station on Wednesdays (22:00 – 23:00) from 17 April.
One More Chai will be hosted by SMASHBengali and Guranisha Randhawa, who will team up to chat through various trending topics each week and deliver content from the Asian Network Birmingham hub. The show is a tongue-in-cheek look at what’s happening across socials, and spaces where the Asian Network audience are living and breathing.
Birmingham-born SMASHBengali currently hosts Asian Network’s Weekend Breakfast show (Saturday – Sunday, 08:00 – 10:00) and Asian Network Certified (Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 – 11:00), which he will continue to present alongside the new show.
SMASHBengali says: “Mate, I've always wanted to have a show that sits on a platform with the ability to reach people just like me. Me and Gura are over the moon to know we're going to be able to create a space for much-needed conversations within our communities. It's going to be a laugh, it might get emotional and we might even get an earful from our parents for some of the boundaries we push...but we're excited for the ride. This is going to be iconic, and we hope you'll join us on our journey with your own cup of chai.”
Guranisha Randhawa says: “I am over the moon that I've landed myself a show with Asian Network. I can't wait to get into all the juicy topics with Smash. I'm super grateful for the opportunity and I promise to be unapologetically my authentic self, hopefully, it doesn't offend anyone too much...!”
It was also announced that the winner of The Apprentice 2022, Harpreet Kaur, will join the network to present The Everyday Hustle (Mondays, 06:00 – 07:00) as current host Sonya Barlow steps down from the show. Sonya’s last episode will be aired on Monday 25 March, with Yorkshire-based Harpreet taking over the slot from Monday 15 April, following an Easter hiatus. The Everyday Hustle will be produced in Birmingham and will continue its on-demand scheduling.
Harpreet Kaur says: “I'm delighted and grateful to be selected as the new host of 'The Everyday Hustle' on BBC Asian Network. I have always tuned into the station so this is a really exciting opportunity - I can't wait to get stuck in and hopefully inspire listeners and help make their lives a little easier across all generations!”
