in october 2008, she starred in the bbc two sitcom "beautiful people". this role, as aunty hayley, continued in 2009. syal starred in the eleventh series of "holby city" as consultant tara sodi. in 2009, she guest starred in "minder" and starred in the film "mad, sad & bad". in 2010, she played shirley valentine in a one-woman show at the menier chocolate factory, later transferring to trafalgar studios. in the same year she played nasreen chroudhry in two episodes of "doctor who" alongside matt smith.