PROUD Notts residents have been tuning in to see a respected family light up their television screens
The Tahirs – Tahmina, 42, T, 43, Rashiqa, 15 and Zeenat, 12 – appeared in three of the four shows on ITV's Happy Families series, the last of which aired last night.
The family – who own TJ News and Post Office in Sneinton Boulevard – feel the show gave a fair representation of them but missed an opportunity to delve deeper into the community.
Tahmina Tahir said: "We've had such good feedback from people in the community.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see my family on TV and I'm really glad we did it.
"The fathers' episode was my favourite because it really showed the pressure T is under. I think people will really appreciate his bubbly personality now they know how hard he works."
And the show helped her learn some things about her own family.
"I always knew my eldest, Rashiqa, was into her basketball but until we watched the programme, I didn't realise she could make a serious go of it."
Rashiqa, who trains at the Wild Cats Arena in Greenwood Road, and her sister Zeenat, had hoped for a little more air time but the confident pair came across well, according to their mum.
Tahmina added: "As a family we are really open.
"We have instilled a work ethic in the girls – which came across well – but they're real characters too!"
Regular shoppers at TJ News paid tribute to T, Tahmina, Rashiqa and Zeenat.
Betty Ketwood, of Sneinton, said: "The family service you get here was represented well. It's benefited the community – I would have liked to be in it myself."
Anna Joyce, who lives on Sneinton Boulevard, has been shopping in the area for more than 20 years.
She added: "It was a little strange seeing the shop on telly.
"They came across really well, but they could have shown much more of them."
Tahmina said she wanted Sneinton's diversity to shine through.
"I was born here and my kids were too, but T and our parents, who help us out as well, are from Pakistan.
"We have still got our culture, but we've mixed that with Western traditions and found a great balance.
"Our relationships with the customers from all walks of life shows that our way of integration works and I think the programme could have done more to get that across."
