Ash Panesar is making a return to EastEnders just over four years after her exit but the role has been recast with a former real-life doctor now taking on the part
In making her television debut, Sakira Vel will now be taking on the role of Suki Panesar’s daughter(Image: BBC)
Ash Panesar is making a return to EastEnders. The doctor, who was originally played by Gurlaine Kaur Garcha, originally appeared on Albert Square in 2019 but left Walford for a new job in Canada in 2023 and has not been since.
Now, bosses of the long-running BBC soap have announced that the character will be making a comeback, but the part has been recast.
On taking on the role and making her television debut, Sakira Vel said: “When I got the call offering me the role, I don’t think I could truly believe it until I finally made it onto the Square!
“EastEnders is an absolute television icon, and the show was essentially the backdrop to my childhood. Taking on the role of Ash is a real honour and I cannot wait for the audience to see what we have in store as she dives straight into the Panesar family chaos”.
Ash is the on-screen daughter of Suki Panesar (Bavinder Sopal) and Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdry) but has had limited contact with her family since she left.
Given that her father departed the programme earlier this year, it looks as if she will just be reuniting with her mother, but, as ever, things will not run smoothly.
Executive Producer Ben Wadey said: “We’re delighted to welcome Ash back to Walford and to have Sakira Vel join the EastEnders cast. With unresolved tensions still simmering between Ash and her family, her unexpected return is set to create new challenges for the Panesar family.”
According to an agent profile, Sakira trained as an emergency medical doctor, much like her new alter-ego, and worked in the NHS for over a decade before making the switch into acting. As an actress, she has appeared in the films Papa and The Price.
Ash; made her debut seven years ago as a confident, no-nonsense doctor who immediately made an impression. She arrived as the first member of the Panesar clan, with her brothers and mum Suki introduced shortly after.
Her character quickly became a key figure in several dramatic storylines from tense family fallouts and fractured relationships to fast-paced scenes at the hospital. She was also part of a same-sex romance with Iqra, making Ash one of the few LGBTQ+ South Asian characters in soap at the time.
Gurlaine took a short break from the show in 2022 before officially bowing out in early 2023. At the time, soap bosses thanked her for her contribution, while the actress told fans she was “excited for what’s to come”.
Since then, Gurlaine’s kept a low profile but still shares snippets of her life online – posting travel pictures, moments with friends, and positive messages with her followers.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
