Rebecca Sarker | |
|---|---|
 Sarker in 2024 | |
| Born | 1975 (age 49–50) Halifax, West Yorkshire, England[1] |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Television | |
| Children | 2[2] |
Rebecca Sarker (born 1975) is an English actress. After portraying the role ofNita Desai in theITV soap operaCoronation Street from 1999 to 2000, she made various appearances in television series includingRosemary and Thyme, Doctors,Holby City,The Golden Hour andEastEnders. In 2018, she began appearing in the ITV soap operaEmmerdale asManpreet Sharma.
Sarker is fromHalifax, West Yorkshire. Her parents met while working at a hospital inNottingham; her father, Khaleque, is aBritish BangladeshiGP, and her mother, Elizabeth, is anEnglish children's nurse. Her older brother is a dentist. Sarker attendedBradford Girls' Grammar School. She pursued a degree in Modern Languages atLeeds University and spent a year teaching English in Spain, where she took upflamenco dancing.[3] She later trained at theMountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London.[4]
Sarker made her acting debut in theITV soap operaCoronation Street asNita Desai in 1999.[citation needed] Following her exit from the soap in 2000, she appeared in various television series, including two guest appearances on theBBC soap operaDoctors, appearances in the BBC medical dramasHolby City andCasualty and portrayingDr Newton in two episodes of the BBC soap operaEastEnders.[5] She then starred in the ITV miniseriesThe Golden Hour as Nina Osbourne in 2005.[6] In 2012, she made her film debut in the feature filmJohn Carter.[1] In 2018, it was announced that she had been cast as series regularManpreet Jutla in the ITV soap operaEmmerdale.[7] Then in 2022, she competed in the revival of the ITV seriesThe Games.[8]
Sarker has two sons.[2]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | Coronation Street | Nita Desai | Series regular; 122 episodes |
| 2002 | Believe Nothing | PC Haywain | Episode: "May as Well Face It, You're Addicted to Fudge" |
| 2003, 2009 | Doctors | Tepali Sharma / Deborah Mortimer | 3 episodes |
| 2003, 2006, 2017 | Holby City | Nina Sharma / Carla Harris / Gayle Travis | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Fallen | Nisha Mehta | Television film. Main role |
| 2005 | The Golden Hour | Nina Osbourne | Mini-series. Main role; 4 episodes |
| The Brief | DI Joan Fernandes | Episode: "The Architect's Wife" | |
| Broken News | Correspondant | Mini-series; Episode: "Hijack" | |
| 2006 | Rosemary & Thyme | Blanca Parfitt | Episode: "Racquet Espanol" |
| 2007 | EastEnders | Dr. Newton | 2 episodes |
| 2010, 2014 | Casualty | Alison Roberts / DCI Jackie Prior | 2 episodes: "Leave Me Alone" and "The Lies We Tell" |
| 2012 | John Carter | Stayman #1 / Navigator | Feature film |
| Twenty Twelve | TV Reporter, Hilary | 2 episodes: "Boycott: Part 1" and "Clarence House" | |
| 2018 | Dark Heart | Smita Williams | Episode: "Dead Men Don't Pay Debts: Part 1" |
| 2018–present | Emmerdale | Manpreet Sharma | Series regular |
| 2022 | The Games | Herself – Contestant | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | Celebrity Catchphrase | Herself – Contestant | Episode: "Les Dennis, Rebecca Sarker and Jordan Stephens" |
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 British Soap Awards | Best Leading Performer | Nominated | [9] |
| 27th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | Nominated | [10] | |
| 2023 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Partnership (shared with Kevin Mathurin) | Nominated | [11] |