Sarbjit Kaur Grewal, the much-loved matriarch from Channel 4’s groundbreaking documentary series The Family, has died following a battle with lung cancer.
Affectionately known to millions simply as “Mum”, Sarbjit passed away peacefully on Saturday 16 May 2026 surrounded by her family, with son Sunny by her side.
Born in Punjab, India, in 1954, Sarbjit moved to the United Kingdom during the mid-1960s and later made Southall her home. She went on to marry her husband Arvinderjeet Singh Grewal, fondly known to viewers as “Bhola” and together they built a family rooted in love, humour, resilience and strong cultural values.
The couple shared 51 years of marriage and raised three children, becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable British Asian families after starring in the BAFTA-nominated Channel 4 series The Family in 2008.
The fly-on-the-wall documentary offered an authentic glimpse into modern British Asian family life and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Viewers across the country connected deeply with the Grewal family’s warmth, honesty and humour, with Sarbjit emerging as the programme’s most adored figure.
Many phrases from the series entered popular culture, including the now-iconic line: “I want a cup of tea!”
Friends of the family say Sarbjit helped change perceptions of British Asian households on mainstream television at a time when authentic South Asian representation was still rare.
PR specialist and close family friend Pedro Carvalho paid tribute to Sarbjit’s legacy, describing her as “the heart” of the programme.
“The series was groundbreaking, but with Mum at its centre, it showed the important role Asian women play within family and society,” he said.
“Sarbjit represented something universal, that mothers are the backbone of every home. In Asian households especially, mums are often the glue holding families together.”
In an emotional tribute shared on social media, son Sunny Grewal described the devastating moment his mother passed away in his arms.
“It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I share the news that our beloved Mum, Sarbjit Kaur Grewal, took her final breath in my arms,” he wrote.
“My Mum died knowing she was loved and that we never wanted her to go. She was the most beautiful, loving mother we could have asked for and our hearts are truly broken.”
Sunny revealed Sarbjit had fought “a valiant fight” against lung cancer but said her body “could not take any more”.
“I promised no matter what she would never be alone and I feel blessed as her son that I kept that promise,” he added.
He also spoke movingly of his mother’s faith during her final days, saying she listened daily to Sikh prayers and accepted “Vaheguru’s hukum” with peace and dignity.
“She went peacefully and took her last breath in the house she built with Dad,” he wrote.
“There is a part of me that has died with my Mum and I will always miss her calling me.”
Sunny also thanked NHS staff and paramedics who attended to his mother in her final hours.
In January 2024, Sarbjit was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite her illness, those close to her said she remained courageous, positive and deeply focused on her family throughout her battle.
Reflecting on conversations with Sarbjit during the final months of her life, Pedro said her bravery left a lasting impact on him.
“She told me she did not fear death because she believed God would look after her family,” he recalled. “She was never worried for herself, only for her husband, children and grandchildren.”
He added: “Channel 4’s The Family would never have been the same without Mum. She helped the nation better understand British Asian family life and showed that modern Britain is diverse, hardworking and united through family.”
Tributes have continued pouring in across social media, with many viewers remembering Sarbjit not simply as a television personality, but as a familiar maternal figure welcomed into homes across the country.
Sarbjit Kaur Grewal leaves behind her husband, children, grandchildren, extended family and countless admirers whose lives she touched both on and off screen.
Her legacy remains firmly etched into British television history and within the hearts of the millions who came to know her simply as “Mum”.
