Saikat Ahamed () is a British actor and writer based in Bristol. He is best known for his role of Vince Arya in Monday Monday.
Early life Ahamed was born in Surrey and grew up in Birmingham, West Midlands, England in the 1980s.
Ahamed attended King Edward's School in Birmingham, and left in 1992. In 1995, he graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Cardiff University. He then studied acting at the London Centre for Theatre Studies. He was twice Gold champion in Ballroom and Latin American dance.
Ahamed mother's, Hashi, grew up in a war torn Barisal, Bangladesh, trained as a doctor and made her way to the United Kingdom to provide an easier life for her children. His father is general practitioner Ahamed's family moved from Bangladesh in 1972 to the UK, where he was born and has lived since.
Career Since 1999, Ahamed has been an actor working on stage, screen and radio. His work on television and film includes, the regular part of Vince Arya in Monday Monday, East Is East and Trollied.
Ahamed's acting work includes A Fine Balance with Tamasha at Hampstead Theatre, a National Tour of Journey to the West with Tara Arts. At Tobacco Factory Theatre, he played Ali Baba in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves as well as the 'step-brother' in Cinderella, both directed by Sally Cookson. He played the roles of James Henry Trotter in James and the Giant Peach at the Polka Theatre, Ben Gunn in Treasure Island at Bristol Old Vic and Tinker Bell in Peter Pan at Bristol Old Vic. He played Puck and as well as helped to puppeteer Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream at Bristol Old Vic, His theatre work also includes shows at The Kennedy Centre as well as stints at Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Leicester Haymarket Theatre and Man Mela.
As a writer, Ahamed has completed a number of plays. In February 2013, he performed his one-man show The Tiger and the Moustache at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol. In 2015, he performed his one-man show Strictly Balti: at The Gilded Balloon during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August, at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in October and Birmingham Repertory Theatre in November, before embarking on a national tour.
Since 2005, Ahamed has also worked as a professional storyteller, weaving his traditional tales in schools, restaurants, libraries and festivals in Bristol. In 2006, also received the Norman Beaton Fellowship from BBC Radio Drama and has worked regularly for them ever since.
In December 2011, Ahamed's first radio play, Telling Tales, was commissioned and aired on the BBC Asian Network.
In February 2015, Ahamed was interviewed on BBC Somerset. In November and December 2015, he was interviewed by Nadia Ali on BBC Asian Network. In October 2022, he portrayed the role of Nabil Rahim in the BBC soap opera Doctors.
Personal life Ahamed lives in Bristol with his wife, Jenny, and two children.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 East Is East Zaid Supporting role 2000 It Was an Accident Ahmed 2000 7/7: Attack on London Mohammad Sidique Khan 2006 Halal Harry Naseem 2011 This Must Be the Place Sumit 2012 Frail Malik 2019 Aladdin Jailer2021A Boy Called ChristmasMoodon 2024 Mary Caspar
Television Year Title Role Notes 2008 Being Human Mortuary Attendant 1 episode: pilot 2009 Monday Monday Vince Arya Recurring role 2009 Home Time Egger Series 1, episode 2 2011 Nuzzle and Scratch: Frock and Roll Golfer Episode: "Astronauts" 2012 Parents Maths Teacher Series 1, episode 52012; 2017 Trollied Customer, Bloke Series 2: 6 episodes, series 7: 1 episode 2013 Common Ground Pav Episode: "Nell, Ted & Marlon" Wizards vs Aliens Security Man Episode: "The Thirteenth Floor" 2016 Galavant Valencian Peasant 1 Episode: "About Last Knight"2017–2019Apple Tree HouseNadeemRecurring role2019–2022PennyworthMr. ChadleyRecurring role 2022 Doctors Nabil Rahim Episode: "Everyone Has Something"
Stage Year Title Role Venue 2002 Journey to the West Art 2004 James and the Giant Peach James Henry Trotter Polka Theatre 2007 A Fine Balance Ishvar Hampstead Theatre East Is East Oldham Coliseum Shepherd's Pie Anyone? Theatre Royal Stratford East Gym Buddies Soho Theatre 2009 Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Ali Baba Tobacco Factory Theatre 2010 Treasure Island Ben Gunn Bristol Old Vic, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, Young Vic 2011–2013 Cinderella Step-brother Tobacco Factory Theatre 2012 Peter Pan Tinker Bell Bristol Old Vic 2013–2014 Midsummer Night's Dream Puck/Snug Bristol Old Vic, Barbican Centre 2013 The Tiger and the Moustache Hashi Tobacco Factory Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, one-person play Also writer 2012 The Last Voyage of Sinbad the SailorRoy Tobacco Factory Theatre, part of Travelling Light Theatre Company 2014–2017 Strictly Balti Ahamed The Gilded Balloon, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Southbank Centre, The Oxford Festival of the Arts, one-person play Also writer2015Three KingsWriter for Travelling Light Theatre Company2017The MiserLa FlecheGarrick Theatre2021Hansel and GretelWriter for Insane Root Theatre2024Welcome to GazaReaderMalcolm X Community Centre Bristol2025In Search of GoldoniBristol Old Vic, one-person play Also writer
Radio Year Title Role Notes2006Joseph Conrad - The Secret AgentWaiterBBC Radio 4 Extra political thriller2007Caesar!Centurion, soldier, driver, AthenasiusBBC Radio 4 classic serial, series 32007The MahabharataUttaraBBC Radio 4 classic dramatised, episode: "Exile"2007Venus to GoBBC Radio 4 drama2007India and Pakistan '07Driver, HiteshBBC Radio 4 drama2007OneiraCourierBBC Radio 4 Extra sci-fi fantasy drama2008–2009Silver StreetVinnie MukherjeeBBC Asian Network soap2008Broken EnglishPolice officer, Transport officerBBC Radio 4 play2009Degrees of SeparationDoctor, Rishi HusseinBBC Radio 4, episode 4 "Twins" and 5 "Ashes" 2011 Telling Tales Ahmed- the teacher BBC Asian Network drama Also writer2015Actor Saikat Ahamed and Timsbury Post OfficeHimselfBBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Somerset with Steve Yabsley2017The ArchersRachidBBC Radio 4 soap
See also British Bangladeshi List of British Bangladeshis
References
External links
Thomson, Wendy. Interview with actor and playwright Saikat Ahamed. Female Arts. 11 July 2015