FORMER EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra has hinted that he could make a return as his popular character Masood in the future, as his new play debuted in London last week.
Ganatra left the show in February after more than a decade playing Masood Ahmed in the long-running BBC series.
He first appeared as the much-loved character in 2007 with his family, which included Nadia Wadia as his fictional wife Zainab. Audiences were devastated when he announced his departure earlier this year. However, much to the delight of fans, it may not be the last time that they see Masood.
Admitting that he missed his fellow EastEnders co-stars, Ganatra revealed he had not ruled out returning to the popular soap in the future.
“Masood is a forever unexplored character – he still has a lot more to give,” the London-based star said. “It wasn’t hard saying goodbye to the show, because he is still alive, and he
could always come back.”
Since his departure from the show, Ganatra has been busy. He has spent the summer working on roles in Midsomer Murders and Netflix’s The Worst Witch, both which are due to air next year.
Now, the Kenyan-born actor is gearing up to star in God’s Dice, the latest showing at London’s Soho Theatre.
Written by comedian David Baddiel, the plot centres on physics professor Henry Brook (played by Jonathan Creek star Alan Davies), whose world is turned upside down when a student appears to scientifically prove the existence of God.
Ganatra plays the role of Tim, Brook’s “chirpy sidekick”.
The actor believes that the play, which is Baddiel’s first, is sure to spark lengthy discussions among the audience.
“It will definitely open conversations,” Ganatra said. “There is a lot of science in it, but there is a lot of human relatability. We are looking at love, marriage, sex, religion and friendship and what it all means if you don’t believe in something. Watching how it has evolved in rehearsals, it is a very moving show.”
This is the second time that Ganatra has graced the stage in recent times. After taking a 16-year break from theatre, he returned last July in the Park Theatre’s black comedy End of the Pier. The critically acclaimed production saw Ganatra win an Eastern Eye Arts Culture & Theatre Awards (ACTA) for his performance.
The awards, which are designed to celebrate diversity in the arts, primarily recognise British Asian talent in the industry.
Ganatra said that although it was always wonderful to receive praise for a role, the award was particularly poignant for him as it came from the Asian community. As an Asian actor, he added, trying to survive in the white mainstream industry often got tiring. Expressing his irritation, Ganatra admitted it could be a frustrating process when Asian actors typically did not get leading roles in productions, unless it was an Asian project.
So, the recognition from initiatives such as the ACTAs was particularly special for the actor, he said.
“For the ACTAs to turn around and say, ‘we love you and we celebrate what you’ve done’, that means so much to me,” he revealed. “I was very touched by that. To be rewarded by your own community is very special.”
Ganatra’s career has spanned over more than two decades. He has had a series of roles in television and film, including a short cameo role in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005.
However, it hasn’t always been easy for him, Ganatra explained. He had encountered a lack of diversity in the industry and admitted having experienced feelings of frustration when he saw ethnic actors being given secondary roles. He was keen to celebrate the actors who continue to work in the industry, despite the hardships they may have encountered.
“There is a certain generation of (British Asian) actors who have been doing it for over 25 years and we are still doing it. We haven’t walked away. We have all been through that thing when we’ve had to go into an audition and do the crap Indian accent,” Ganatra said. “The good thing that I celebrate is we haven’t given up.”
God’s Dice is at Soho Theatre in London until November 30
The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration. (Photo: Getty Images)
AN ETHIOPIAN asylum seeker, whose arrest in July led to protests outside a hotel near London where he and other migrants were housed, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman.
The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 20 miles (30 km) from London, triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was convicted at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman. He was also found guilty of attempting to sexually assault the girl, inciting her to engage in sexual activity, and harassment.
"This was an incident which became a cause of deep concern for the local community," said prosecutor Rebecca Mundy.
Immigration has become the main political issue in Britain, overtaking concerns about the economy, with record numbers of asylum claims and migrant arrivals by small boats across the Channel.
Prosecutors said that on July 7 the girl had offered Kebatu pizza because he looked hungry. He then tried to kiss her, touched her thigh, said he wanted a baby with her and her friend, and invited them back to the hotel.
The next day, when the girl was in her school uniform, he again attempted to kiss her.
District Judge Christopher Williams said the girl’s evidence was consistent and he did not believe she or other witnesses fabricated their accounts.
Kebatu, who had moved to the Bell Hotel about a week before the incident, denied the charges, telling the court he was "not a wild animal".
The asylum seeker said he was a teacher in Ethiopia and claimed the woman had given him her phone number and repeatedly invited him to her home.
His arrest sparked protests outside the hotel, some of which turned violent. The local council obtained a temporary injunction to prevent asylum seekers from being housed there, but it was overturned last week after a government appeal.
Opposition politicians accused prime minister Keir Starmer of prioritising migrants’ rights over those of local residents.
Government data shows that just over 32,000 migrants were housed in hotels across the UK as of the end of June. The government has said it will end the practice before the next election, scheduled for 2029.
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Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. (Photo: Getty Image)
Rayner steps down after admitting underpaying property tax
Resigns as deputy prime minister, housing minister and Labour deputy leader
Becomes eighth minister to leave Starmer’s government, and the most senior so far
Her departure comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner resigned on Friday after admitting she had underpaid property tax on a new home. Her resignation is a fresh setback for prime minister Keir Starmer, who had initially stood by her.
Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. She becomes the eighth minister to leave Starmer’s team, and the most senior departure so far.
"I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice... I take full responsibility for this error," Rayner wrote in her resignation letter to Starmer.
Starmer said he was very sad her time in government had ended in this way but that she had made the right decision.
Labour under pressure in polls
The resignation comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls. Starmer has already faced criticism over his party’s image, with accusations of hypocrisy linked to accepting costly gifts such as clothing and concert tickets from donors.
Rayner’s exit is seen as a major blow, as she had played a key role in keeping Labour’s left and centrist factions together and was considered more broadly popular than Starmer himself.
From potential successor to resignation
Rayner had been mentioned as a possible successor to Starmer. On Wednesday, she referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards after acknowledging a mistake in her tax payment.
In an interview, Rayner appeared close to tears as she explained that she had set up a trust for one of her sons, who has lifelong disabilities caused by an injury. She sold her share of her family home in northern England to the trust, using the money to buy an apartment in Hove. She believed she did not need to pay the higher tax rate for a second home.
Rayner’s departure adds to a series of losses for Starmer’s government. Eight ministers have now resigned, five over wrongdoing. This is the highest number of ministerial resignations outside cabinet reshuffles for any prime minister at the start of their tenure since at least 1979.
Even Boris Johnson, who later faced widespread criticism over lockdown-breaking parties, saw fewer resignations at the same stage.
Challenges ahead for Starmer
The resignation leaves Starmer weakened as he faces the end of the year, when his government must prepare a budget that is expected to include further tax rises. At the same time, Nigel Farage’s Reform is mounting a growing challenge.
Starmer had hoped to signal a new phase of leadership with a reshuffle on Monday after returning from his summer break. But that effort was overtaken by the allegations against Rayner and by Farage’s claim that the prime minister was stifling free speech.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Migrants swim to board a smugglers' boat in order to attempt crossing the English channel off the beach of Audresselles, northern France. (Photo: Getty Images)
Refugee family reunion scheme suspended as part of migration reforms
Nearly 21,000 visas issued in the past year, mainly to women and children
New rules to include contribution requirements and longer waiting periods
Government expects first migrant returns to France later this month
THE GOVERNMENT has announced it is suspending a scheme that allowed families of refugees in the UK to apply to join their relatives, as part of efforts to cut irregular migration.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament on Monday that new applications under the refugee family reunion route would be “temporarily” paused while the system is reformed.
“We do need to address the immediate pressures on local authorities and the risks from criminal gangs using family reunion as a pull factor to encourage more people onto dangerous boats,” she said.
Nearly 21,000 visas issued in a year
Home Office figures released earlier this month showed almost 21,000 refugee family reunion visas were granted in the year to June 2025. The majority were issued to women and children.
Cooper said the suspension is ahead of wider reforms due later this year. These will examine “contribution requirements” for family members and “longer periods before newly granted refugees can apply”.
“Until the new framework is introduced, refugees will be covered by the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else,” she said.
Immigration concerns rising
An Ipsos survey published last month found immigration is currently the top concern for Britons, ahead of the economy and the National Health Service.
Over 111,000 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number since records began in 2001, according to Home Office data.
Since Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024, more than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel from northern France. Similar crossings also took place under the previous Conservative government.
The arrivals have fuelled discontent that has been tapped into by Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, which has overtaken Labour in national opinion polls.
Deal with France
Cooper said the government expects to return the first migrants to France “later this month” under a new agreement.
Under the “one-in, one-out” deal, the UK can send back to France some migrants who crossed the Channel, while accepting the same number of migrants from France who can apply for a visa through an online system. Priority will be given to vulnerable nationalities and those with ties in Britain.
“We expect the first returns to begin later this month,” Cooper said.
“Applications have also been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration subject to strict security checks,” she added.
Reform’s challenge to Labour
Reform UK has led Labour in opinion polls for several months, though the next general election is not due until 2029.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Angela Rayner arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street on September 2, 2025. (Photo credit: Reuters)
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of an investigation into her underpayment of stamp duty on a property in East Sussex, with the findings expected soon.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said he anticipated the report, led by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, would be delivered “pretty quickly.” He added: “Then, of course, I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me.”
Rayner admitted she did not pay the correct tax on an £800,000 flat in Hove. She paid £30,000 in stamp duty after listing it as her main residence. However, as she co-owned another property, she should have paid the higher “second home” rate of £70,000, according to BBC.
The Times reported that Rayner’s lawyers said they had not given her any tax advice and were being made “scapegoats,” contradicting her earlier claim that she had acted on advice.
BBC reported that her allies said she had consulted a conveyancer and two trust law experts.
Starmer’s spokesperson condemned vandalism at Rayner’s Hove property, where “tax evader” had been spray-painted.
“Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way,” the spokesperson said.
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Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017.
Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
Nin Pandit to lead a reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
Vidhya Alakeson given expanded responsibilities over policy and delivery.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.
Shafik’s arrival, along with the decision to bring Darren Jones, deputy to chancellor Rachel Reeves, into his Downing Street office, signals Starmer’s focus on economic advice before a budget later this year that is likely to include further tax rises.
Jones will be succeeded by Labour lawmaker James Murray, who previously held a junior post in the finance ministry, Starmer’s office said in a statement.
Wider changes in Downing Street
Starmer has also reshuffled his Downing Street operations, replacing his principal private secretary and naming a new director of communications. Nin Pandit will remain in the No10 team, taking charge of a newly reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
After more than a year in power, Starmer’s government has faced criticism from within Labour for struggling to explain difficult policy decisions and highlight its achievements. Labour’s poll ratings have dropped in recent months.
The changes could strengthen the economic advice available to Starmer before Reeves presents a budget with limited scope, as she remains committed to her fiscal rules aimed at balancing day-to-day spending with tax revenues by 2029.
"I think the creation of a role for Darren Jones is a good move," one Labour lawmaker said.
"He’s clearly got an eye for the details but understands the politics too."
Shafik to bring ‘additional expertise’
Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017, leaving early to become vice chancellor of the London School of Economics.
In 2023, she was appointed president of Columbia University in New York but resigned after little more than a year following criticism over the university’s handling of student protests related to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Earlier in her career, Shafik was the top civil servant in Britain’s foreign aid ministry and later deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. At the IMF, she oversaw work in Europe and the Middle East during the euro zone debt crisis and the Arab Spring.
"This role and the additional expertise will support the government to go further and faster in driving economic growth and raising living standards for all," Starmer’s office said.
Shafik’s background
Shafik, who is also a non-partisan member of the House of Lords, was born in Egypt and grew up in the southern United States before earning a doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford.
In a 2021 book, she argued for policies that included income floors with work incentives, pensions linked to life expectancy, and early childhood interventions to equalise opportunity.
The Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff, Vidhya Alakeson, will also take on expanded responsibilities with overall oversight of policy and delivery within Downing Street.
(With inputs from agencies)
Alternative Headlines:
Starmer strengthens Downing Street team with Shafik, Alakeson and Pandit moves
Minouche Shafik appointed chief economic adviser as Starmer reshuffles team
Nin Pandit to head delivery unit as Starmer expands Downing Street operation
Vidhya Alakeson takes wider role in No10 as Shafik joins as economic adviser