Soap opera Coronation Street is set to get its first Muslim family.
The new characters will be relatives of Kal Nazir, a former soldier played by Jimi Mistry, who joined the ITV hit series two months ago.
Although Coronation Street has been on the air for 53 years, it has never before featured a Muslim family, which producer Stuart Blackburn admitted was “bizarre” given the multi-cultural makeup of Manchester where the soap is set.
Nearly one in six residents of Manchester is a Muslim, according to data from the 2011 census, meaning that followers of the faith have been significantly under-represented on Coronation Street.
Show bosses say they have consulted experts over “all aspects of their lifestyle, culture and religion” in a bid to ensure that the family accurately reflects the experience of Muslims in Manchester.
However, the soap could cause controversy by showing the Nazirs socialising in the Rovers Return pub even though Islam bans its adherents from drinking alcohol.
Kal, who came to the Street as a personal trainer in November last year, has previously been shown in the pub drinking soft drinks.
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He is played by 41-year-old Mr Mistry, who started his career acting in EastEnders before finding fame as a star of 1999 film East Is East.
Mr Mistry is the son of an Indian father and an Irish mother, and was brought up as a Roman Catholic.
The Nazir family will include Kal’s mother, father – to be played by ex-Emmerdale actor Marc Anwar – and two children.
