 Asher is one of the four main characters in series two of EastEnders: E20, alongside Sol, Naz and Stevie. They were created by the programme's team of thirteen writers. Actor and singer Heshima Thompson auditioned for the series, having learned about it from his agent. Part of the process involved a dance audition with Tony Adigun, the leader of dance group Avant Garde. Thompson was subsequently cast as Asher, and the character and his casting were announced on 28 July 2010. Deborah Sathe, the show's producer, expressed pride in the writers and stated, "[They] have created four new faces for [Albert] Square and their reaction to Walford life is really exciting." Thompson called E20 "a great project to be part of", and eagerly anticipated the dancing the role would entail. He later said in an interview with Daniel Kilkelly from entertainment news website Digital Spy that it was good to be able to combine his love of acting with his love of dance.
