Unforgotten has made a thrilling comeback to our screens, with Sanjeev Bhaskar returning as the much-adored Sunny Khan. The latest series of the hit ITV drama kicked off with a shocker, as suspected human remains turned up at Whitney Marsh, prompting Sunny to dive into a fresh investigation straight away. It quickly transpires there are no ancient bones but the dismembered remains of a body recently deposited. When not caught up in on-screen sleuthing, British actor of Indian heritage, 61, is also famed for his roles in comedy classics like The Kumars, Goodness Gracious Me and Mumbai Calling. He’s earned his stripes in UK entertainment circles, bagging an OBE and cementing his status among British TV royalty.
The couple sparked up a romantic relationship following a long-haul flight
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Meera received a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2015
(Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
His glittering career also led him to his partner, Meera Syal – an English comedian, writer, and actress. Their paths crossed through work, particularly during a 23-hour flight for a press trip to Australia, where sparks flew between them. At the time, The Kumars was in full swing, and Sanjeev joined the journey with his fellow cast members from Goodness Gracious Me, a show featuring both him and his future wife, reports the Mirror. In a heart-to-heart with The Guardian, Sanjeev revealed: “We were on such a high – we were being flown first class to promote the show, which had been a hit over there; Meera was releasing her film Anita and Me; and we had just found out that we’d gotten to No 1 on the UK chart with our Comic Relief single with Gareth Gates.” He added, “The thing with 23 hours in someone’s company is that you get the raw version of each other – especially me, since I can’t sleep on a plane. I had no filter and Meera was very nice about it. It was an intense period, but that intensity made us both realise that we wanted to hang out with each other more.” Just like her hilarious hubby, whom she tied the knot with back in 2005, Meera has been turning heads in her own right. Scoring a prestigious CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2015 for her services to drama and literature, her comedic genius shone through as part of the Goodness Gracious Me team and tickled audiences in well-loved shows like The Kumars at No.42 and Beautiful People. The spotlight was firmly on Meera in 2023 when she clinched the esteemed BAFTA Fellowship.
Sanjeev and Meera share a son together
(Image: BBC)
Not only does this brilliant actress juggle her career with being a mum to a daughter from her first marriage and a son, Shaan, born in December 2005 with Sanjeev, but she also manages to earn his comic admiration. Sanjeev cheekily admits that he’s resigned to the fact that “she’s just much better” than him at “everything”. Speaking to The Guardian, he divulged their secret to a balanced relationship. “But it’s key to value the team and to always do what’s best for our partnership, rather than just our individual careers. We’ve tried to tag team when it comes to work, so there was always a parent at home, and I don’t regret turning things down for that,” Sanjeev sweetly shared.
