The comedian behind hit BBC sit-com Citizen Khan will be representing Birmingham at Westminster, as the city’s creative industries take the spotlight at an exhibition in the House of Commons.
The latest “Birmingham Day” event, on June 25, will showcase the region’s creative sector.
Those taking part include Adil Ray, the writer and star of prime-time comedy Citizen Khan which has run for two series on BBC One and returns for a third series in the autumn.
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The comedy, set in Sparkhill but filmed in Salford, focuses on self-appointed community leader Mr Khan and his long-suffering family.
Also attending will be Tommy Nagra, head of business development for BBC Birmingham.
The BBC will also show two short films about Birmingham and what it has to offer the creative sector.
The broadcaster’s heavy involvement with the event follows criticism in recent years from MPs who have accused it of lacking commitment to Birmingham.
Soshi Games, based in Aston Science Park, will highlight the importance of the gaming industry to the West Midlands economy. The business creates games for mobile phones and tablets.
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Other firms taking part include Maverick TV, the Birmingham-based production company responsible for show Embarrassing Bodies among others.
Representatives from the Custard Factory, which houses a range of creative firms, Birmingham City University and animation studio Yamination will also be taking part.
And there will also be representatives from the Law Society.
The event is backed by MPs from all parties, including Edgbaston Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who said the creative sector was key.
She said: “Having the Law Society there may seem surprising as this is about creative Birmingham. But protecting intellectual property is something that’s very important to creative businesses.
“Given that Birmingham has the largest law community outside London, this is another example of what Birmingham has to offer the creative industries.”
In the evening before the event, Ms Stuart will take part in a talk with Lord Adonis, the Labour peer overseeing a review of regional policy on behalf of party leader Ed Miliband, and David Eastwood, the vice-chancellor of Birmingham University, looking at how power can be transferred from Westminster to local town halls.
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Previous Birmingham Day events have focused on sectors such as manufacturing.
Ms Stuart said: “We’re highlighting the creative industries because they contribute at least 10 per cent of the city’s wealth and create around five per cent of the jobs.
“But the challenge is that almost none of these companies employ more than 10 people.
“So it’s not like other parts of the economy where there are trade associations representing them or they’re heavily involved with the chamber of commerce.
“They have their own way of doing things and the challenge for the city is fitting in with that and making sure they are supported.”
The last Birmingham Day event in March was attended by submarine valve specialists, bicycle accessory craftsmen, military uniform makers, local documentary producers and more.
Keynote speakers Andy Street, chairman of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, and Stewart Towe, his Black Country counterpart, stressed the importance of co-operation between the different parts of the West Midlands region.
Birmingham Day events are held in a Commons committee room and typically attract MPs, Government Ministers and shadow cabinet ministers from Labour’s front benches.