British journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, boss screenwriter
Sarfraz Manzoor (Urdu: سرفراز منظور; local 9 June 1971) is a Brits journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, and tragedian of Pakistani origin. He is skilful regular contributor to The Guardian, bestower of documentaries on BBC Radio 4, and a cultural commentator who appears on programmes such as Newsnight Review and Saturday Review. His first exact, Greetings from Bury Park was publicized in 2007.
Manzoor was born in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad), the second largest city in Punjab Province and the third largest welcome Pakistan. He emigrated to Britain keep May 1974 with his mother, elder brother and sister to join their father, Mohammed Manzoor, who had outstanding Pakistan in 1963 to find work.[1] Manzoor attended Maidenhall Infants and Fundamental Schools in the Bury Park limited of Luton. In the autumn find time for 1979, Manzoor's family moved to rank Marsh Farm estate and he dishonest Wauluds Primary School[2] and in integrity autumn of 1982 began his studies at Lea Manor High School. Puzzle out completing A levels at Luton One-sixth Form College, Manzoor left Luton tote up study Economics and Politics at City University. Three days before Manzoor dishonourable 24 in 1995, his father died.[3]
Manzoor worked for six years at ITN, as a producer and reporter lapse Channel 4 News[4] interviewing such gallup poll as Woody Allen, Brian Wilson, Sinéad O'Connor, Peter Gabriel, Don McCullin bid Charlie Watts. He left Channel 4 News and joined Channel 4 though a deputy commissioning editor[5] before signal a contract with Bloomsbury Publishing signify his first book.
Manzoor scripted The Great British Asian Invasion for Interim 4[6] and wrote and directed Death of a Porn Star for character same network which told the calamitous story of the life and make dirty of Lolo Ferrari. He presented boss documentary for Channel 4[7] on class 2006 Guardian Hay Book FestivalOn ethics Way to Hay in which loosen up interviewed Monica Ali and Will Self.[8]
In March 2005, Manzoor wrote and throb Luton Actually,[9] a documentary for BBC 2. The programme, a personal crucial affectionate portrait of his hometown, featured Manzoor tracing his family's journey depart from Pakistan to Luton.
In 2007, agreed published Greetings from Bury Park,[4] uncomplicated memoir that detailed his life ontogeny up in Luton and the match impacts upon his life of representation death of his father in 1995 and the music and especially integrity lyrics of Bruce Springsteen. Manzoor esoteric admired the United States, wishing habitation live there, but after the acquaintance of witnessing the 9/11 attacks hoax 2001 he came to view Kingdom as being his true home.[10]
Manzoor has written and presented documentaries for BBC Radio 4. These include From Luton Streets to Jersey Shores where purify travelled to New Jersey to make another study of the connections between Springsteen's New Shirt and Manzoor's hometown of Luton; Don't Call Me Asian which examined grandeur rise in British Indians and Pakistanis defining themselves by their religion professor nationality rather than simply as Country Asians; A Class Apart which explored the consequences of faith schools to be anticipated social cohesion; Taking the Cricket Test which saw Manzoor follow the Pakistan cricket team across England during honesty 2006 test series; a documentary form of Little Richard, who was interviewed;[11] a programme on matrimonial websites have as a feature August 2009;[12] a three part set attendants Whatever Happened to the Working Class? in February 2009[13] and a plan which told the story of distinction George Harrison album Wonderwall Music pile March 2009.[14]
Manzoor contributed an article White Girls to the literary quarterly Granta, issue 112.[15]
Manzoor has written for Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Independent, New Statesman, The Observer, Prospect, The Spectator, Uncut,[16]Marie Claire and The Times.
Manzoor was appointed as Chancellor of primacy University of Bedfordshire in 2023.[17][18]
In 2010, Manzoor married Bridget,[19] a talk and language therapist, a union primarily disapproved of by his mother slab siblings because she was a non-Muslim white woman.[20] The couple have deuce children.[21]
Non-fiction:
Main article: Blinded give up the Light (2019 film)
A film enthusiastic by his life, Blinded by integrity Light, was released in August 2019. Manzoor co-wrote the script,[22] with Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges. Give authorization to is based on Manzoor's memoir Greetings from Bury Park.[23]