SHE’S played Priya Sharma in Emmerdale since 2011 but Fiona Wade has quite an impressive body of work from before her time in the Dales.
The actress has appeared on both stage and screen. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
Fiona Wade is a 40-year-old actress who grew up in Enfield, London with her Filipino father and English mother.
She took on the role of Priya Sharma in Emmerdale in 2011, taking over from Effie Woods who had played the character for six months previously.
The character is known for her flirtatious and sometimes manipulative personality, and Fiona has had to tackle storylines including anorexia and an on-going feud with Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson).
Back in 2017, The Sun’s Bizarre column exclusively revealed that the star was dating her former co-star Simon Cotton.
The actress uploaded a loved up picture of herself with hunk Simon, who played Home Farm Estate client Hugh Bryant.
In January 2019, the couple revealed the happy news of their engagement on Instagram.
Speaking about their relationship on ITV’s Lorraine, Fiona opened up about the romantic proposal.
She told Christine Lampard: “He is incredible, I don’t think we have long enough to go into the proposal, it was so long and so epic. He is incredible, he is so romantic, I could go on. He is amazing!
“He took me to this beautiful hotel in London, then he took me to my home where my dad passed away. It was candles and flowers and then the next day, we went to Paris.”
Before joining Emmerdale, Fiona starred in a number of stage productions including Miss Saigon, West Side Story and a production of Romeo and Juliet.
Her previous TV credits also include long-running children’s drama Grange Hill – where she played Joanna Day – and a recurring guest role of Decca in Doctors.
Fiona also played Julianna McKenzie in Holby City and in 2006 she starred as Rowan Clayton in Where the Heart Is.
Fiona Wade appeared on ITV’s new celebrity dancing show, Dance Dance Dance in January 2017.
Fiona was joined by her friend Ronnie Del Barrio, and the pair recreated routines from Dirty Dancing, will.i.am’s track That Power and Snap! song Rhythm is a Dancer.
Fiona also did a solo routine to Rihanna’s hit track, Umbrella, but the couple were the first pair to be voted off the show in week three.
