Sanjeev Bhaskar  is to star ina new comedy-drama about an Asian private detective in East London.

Chopra Town, to launch on BBC One in the new year, was specifically written for the Kumars star and each week sees members of the area’s immigrant communities bring quirky cases to ex-cop Vik Chopra.

The show co-stars Two Pints of Lager’s Natalie Casey as Bhaskar’s sidekick as well as stand-up Omid Djalili and comedy actress Morwenna Banks

Producer Anil Gupta said: ‘Chopra Town is inspired by shows such as The Rockford Files and Minder: interesting, funny people in an interesting, funny world.

‘Lots of cop shows nowadays are gritty and moody, about gruesome serial killers, and we wanted to do an antidote to that.’

Bhaskar added: ‘In Chopra's head, he is Philip Marlow or Sam Spade; a loner who doesn't care, a glamorous private eye, but in fact his cases involve bakeries and a kidnapped cow and he has to go round his parents' house for dinner.’