ARRANGE ME A MARRIAGE
BBC Two

Matchmaker Aneela Rahman gets to grips with Britain's legions of unmarried 30-somethings and aims to find them a partner using the principles of a modern Asian arranged marriage, in this new, five-part series being screened on BBC Two. Aneela – a bold, no-nonsense, Glasgow-born Asian woman in her thirties – is living proof that arranged marriages work. She's been married to husband Maqsood for around 15 years and has two children.

Throughout the series, Aneela aims to share the secrets of her success and get an inexplicably unmarried – but desperate-to-be-married – Brit to the altar. She believes the key to successfully finding a life partner is through the principles of a modern arranged marriage in which compatibility is crucial. Only by matching up class, education, family background, life goals and earnings will it succeed.

Aneela gives each person's friends and family just four weeks to network on behalf of the singles and find them some potential suitors – one of whom they will meet at an Asian-style introduction party.

Episode 1 - BBC Two, 22 November 2007

Thirty-three-year-old Lexi Proud features in this week's opening episode. At the age of 16, Lexi had already left school and her home in the north-east. By the age of 24, she was living in London and had worked her way up through the ranks of commercial airline hospitality to her current position as director of cabin crew for a private aviation firm. With a hectic career and social life, Lexi's too busy to meet anyone and has grown tired of dating men she meets in bars.

Aneela believes strongly that Lexi's pattern of failed relationships is because she's dated outside of her class – something Lexi strongly disagrees with. But Lexi's network is made up of friends from two distinct parts of her life – the past and the present. Can both parts work together to find her someone, and will he tick all the boxes on Aneela's list of criteria for compatibility?

Episode Two - BBC Two, 29 November 2007

Lynn Guthrie, an Account Executive, has lived in Thame, rural Oxfordshire, for most of her life. In the past she's relied on meeting men in bars, clubs, or via the internet. But at 37 she's still alone. The only consistent men in her life are her dad Lyell, her dog Dudley, and her horse Oliver. Lynn comes from a close-knit, middle class family. Both her parents are desperate to see her settled down and have never interfered in her past relationships or commented on her choice of boyfriend.

And like most British families Lynn has never discussed relationships with them and wouldn't have listened to their advice even if they'd offered. But according to Aneela's method it is the duty of Lynn's friends and family to help find Lynn that special someone. Will Lynn's network take to the Asian way of doing things? And more importantly will they succeed in finding Mr Right?

Episode Three - BBC Two, 6 December 2007

Trevor Stewart, a Management Consultant, comes from a very married family. Between them his parents, sister, and brother, have clocked up over 70 years of marriage. And the Stewart family expectation is that Trevor will follow suit. One day.

But Trevor lives for life outside of his work, most of which he spends playing in a pub rock band. Ever since he almost signed a record deal 20 years ago, he lives for his music. Beyond that Trevor's life is that of a typical bachelor. He dates, but due to his blasé attitude Trevor rarely sees the women beyond three months.

With an enthusiastic network working on his behalf Trevor is in with a very good chance of meeting his future wife. However, Aneela is worried that one factor might hold him back - his own attitude to relationships. Will his friends and family find him the woman of his dreams in just four weeks, and can Trevor change 42 years of attitude in time to meet her?

Episode Four - BBC Two, 13 December 2007

Sally Cox is the ultimate alpha female - a former city high-flier who now works as a senior civil servant, regularly reporting to the Prime Minister. On paper Sally has it all - a top job, a good car, a four-bed house in South London and a packed social life. But Sally's just turned 40, is still on her own and hasn't dated properly in over a decade.

Armed with her list of key criteria for finding a life partner, Aneela's giving Sally's closest friends and family - her network - a month to find her a partner. Sally's brother, Richard, also goes on a voyage of discovery as he learns to take on a more traditional Asian approach to being a brother by seeing it as his duty to help his sister find a life partner. Will Richard and the others succeed, and can they come through the process with a better understanding of themselves and each other?

Episode Five - BBC Two, 20 December 2007

Claire Wallace, a Receptionist, is 42 and hasn't dated in over six years. Before that every relationship she's had she's ended, except for her first love who, at the age of 22, dumped her on the night they were due to get engaged. Now Claire wants to break her spell of relationship bad luck. Claire comes from a tight-knit Jewish family in North London. Aneela is giving them four weeks to network on Claire's behalf to find Mr Right - something they are up for but Claire isn't convinced and attempts to sabotage their search…

At the end of the month Claire must be presented with a choice of suitors, from which she has to choose one to meet at an Asian style introduction party. Will her network produce the goods? And can Claire undo 20 years of hurt to give herself a better relationship future and her potential life partner a fair chance?

'Arrange Me A Marriage' is an entertaining five part series that takes us back to our traditional past where families did help get you hitched - and promises lots of fun and romance along the way…