London, The BBC is facing protests over its decision to shut down its digital radio station, the Asian Network, by the end of next year. The BBC is planning to replace the Asian Network by a number of five part-time regional radio Asian services.

Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty is among more than 100 prominent British Indians and British Pakistanis who on Saturday issued a letter, published in the Guardian, urging the BBC to halt the closure of the station. The letter, to the BBC Trust chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, is signed among others by Indian-origin director Gurinder Chadha, actor and writer Meera Syal, Lord Dholakia, Lord Kamlesh Patel, Lord Karan Billimoria, England cricketer Vikram Solanki, Olympic medal-winning boxer of Pakistani-origin Amir Khan, singers Jay Sean and Britian’s first Asian judge Sir Mota Singh QC.
 

AGE CORRESPONDENT