BBC Asian Network today announces that it is to showcase the BBC Archive’s Asian Music content from over four decades on the BBC’s Red Button.

From Wednesday 18th to Sunday 29th January 2012, the station celebrates and shares footage from BBC Asian programmes from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. The BBC Red Button programme, presented by mid-morning and former Network East presenter, Sonia Deol, pulls together some iconic performances from the biggest Asian artists ever to have recorded at the BBC, through programming including the BBC’s dedicated Asian television shows, ‘Nai Zindagi, Naya Jeevan', ‘Gharbar’, ‘ Asian Magazine' and 'Network East'.

Dharmesh Rajput, Interactive Editor, BBC Asian Network, says: “Imagine a world without digital TV, laptops, games consoles and mobile phones, where there were only 3 TV channels. That’s a world I grew up in and the memories of gathering around early on a Sunday morning as a family with our egg and toast to watch the only Asian programme on TV will stay with me forever. So to be able to pull together some of the best musical moments from those programmes in a unique Red Button programme, supported by radio and online, has been honour and it reflects the long standing relationship the BBC has had and continues to have, through BBC Asian Network, with Asian audiences.”

Viewers will enjoy a range of programming from a wide range of musical artists. It will include footage from artists that are no longer with us such as Bollywood singer, Kishore Kumar, Qawwal Maestro, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistani legend, Noor Jahan and British Asian pop diva, Nazia Hassan. Punjabi folk singer, Gurdas Maan, the nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar and Pakistani ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan will also be showcased.

The programme will form part of the Asian Network’s 'Heritage' programming in January, where classic music and interviews from the BBC Archive will be played out across the digital radio station. For over four decades the BBC has broadcast dedicated Asian programmes across TV and Radio. BBC Asian Network’s ‘Heritage’ programming spotlights this content, mixing old with new, continuing to bring a wealth of quality programming to Asian audiences.

The BBC Red Button programme will be available on Digital TV across Sky, Freeview, Freesat and Virgin from 6am on Sunday 22nd Jan until 4am Sunday 29th January. The programme is being made by Endboard Productions, based in Birmingham and run by film making brothers Sunandan and Yugesh Walia.