Popular Saudi TV comic duo Al Qasabi and Al Sadhan to reunite after a decade
Saudi Arabia’s most famous comic duo, actors Nasser Al Qasabi and Abdullah Al Sadhan, who from 1993 to 2011 topped the Ramadan TV ratings with classic comedy series Tash ma Tash, have finally put a court dispute behind them and announced they will work together again.
The news was revealed on Twitter on Friday in a post by Turki Al Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Standing alongside Waleed Al Ibrahim, founder and chairman of MBC Group, Al Sheikh hailed the authority’s ongoing partnership with the Saudi-owned broadcaster, and stated that Al Qasabi and Al Sadhan have agreed to team up again in future projects.
Both actors confirmed the reconciliation on their respective social media accounts. Al Qasabi thanked Al Sheikh for bringing both parties together and alluded to the considerable willpower it took.
“Your efforts are for the good and they are always appreciated,” he said.
Al Sadhan echoed the sentiment in a video in which he expressed his happiness at being reunited with Al Qasabi, whom he has known for nearly 40 years.
Premiering in Ramadan 1993, Tash ma Tash not only went on to become a television staple of the holy month, but also remains one of the most influential and innovative television works to emerge from the Gulf.
More of a sketch show than a sitcom, each episode has Al Qasabi and Al Sadhan playing different characters as they cast an eye over issues facing Saudi society.
Tash ma Tash ended its run acrimoniously a decade ago, when a contractual disagreement between the duo reached the Riyadh Commercial Court in 2012, where it was eventually settled. Both Al Qasabi and Al Sadhan went on to launch successful solo careers.
Al Qasabi found more regional acclaim by joining the judging panel on Arabs Got Talent and stretched himself with more nuanced roles, such as in the 2019’s Ramadan show Al Assouf.
The actor is also set to return this Ramadan, most likely to fall on Monday, April 12, with the new sitcom Mamnou’ Al Tajawol on MBC.
Meanwhile, Al Sadhan continued working in Saudi comedy productions and appeared in sketch comedy series including 2015’s Meena Wa Feena and 2018’s Bidun Filter.
Al Sheikh praised the strength it took for both stars to start a new chapter. In another post, he teased the new work featuring the pair by stating it will be written by acclaimed playwright and poet Khalaf Al Harbi, who was behind last year’s Ramadan TV show Makhraj 7, starring Al Qasabi.
“I am very motivated for this creative project and more happy by the return of this human relationship that is of importance to [Saudi Arabia],” he wrote.
A contractual dispute between the actors caused their partnership from 1993 to end in 2011