I Dressed Ziggy Stardust

Available for over a year

This is an edited version of this programme. Samira Ahmed looks at Bowie’s particular appeal for British Asian women. Across the generations, they have been inspired by the skinny South Londoner who challenged gender barriers and who played with alien identity and other worldliness. Beneath the make-up and exotic costumes, he was also the intelligent, politely spoken suburban young man who you could potentially introduce to your mother. As Samira explores Bowie's impact on British Asian teenagers, talking to Shami Chakrabarti, the director of 'Liberty', about Bowie's changing identities. Sociologist Rupa Huq tackles his suburban psychoses and Shyama Perera takes Samira on a journey to explain how her teenage obsession with Bowie even extended to sending costume designs to her hero - arguably enabling her to claim that "I dressed Ziggy Stardust". (Image: David Bowie on stage in 1973, Credit: Getty Images)