Actress Balvinder Sopal has some hopes for Suki and Ash’s relationship.

By Lewis Knight

Published: Friday, 30 June 2023 at 12:00 am


Actress Balvinder Sopal has called for Suki Panesar’s daughter Ash to return should Suki and Eve go public in EastEnders.

The BBC One soap has slowly unveiled layers to matriarch Suki since she arrived in early 2020, having always had a strained relationship with her daughter Dr Ash Kaur (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha), including in regard to Ash’s bisexuality.

However, unbeknownst to Ash, Suki had been repressing her own sexuality and recently had an extramarital affair with Eve Unwin (Heather Pace) despite the return of Suki’s murderous husband Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry).

Garcha departed the soap earlier this year with Ash taking a new job in Canada, but without learning the truth about her mum.

In recent weeks, Suki and Eve split after the former was delivered an ultimatum by her youngest son Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota).

Now, speaking to RadioTimes.com at the TRIC Awards 2023, Balvinder Sopal revealed that she would like to see Ash return and have some honest conversations with her mother if Suki and Eve ever did go public with their romance.

Sopal commented: “I think that conversation needs to happen, don’t you? Like they need to.”

The actress agreed that even a short return for Ash would be vital for her relationship with her mother.

“To have that reconciliation with mother and daughter, for Ashneet to realise why her mother was the way she was with her. You know…and sort of find forgiveness and love and respect all over again.”

"Balvinder
Balvinder Sopal as Suki Kaur Panesar in EastEnders.
BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Meanwhile, while discussing her character, Sopal revealed that she prefers to play the nastier side of Suki, even though there’s “always a reason for it”.

“I prefer the bitch side,” commented Sopal. “Yeah, because I’ve never really had the opportunity to play something like that. I’ve always played downtrodden, you know, submissive women, so to be out there and sort of the female version of Phil Mitchell, I think is great. Why not?”

Never change, Suki!

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