EastEnders has brought Ash Panesar back to Walford, but she’s not the same Ash fans remember. The character has returned with a new actress and, judging by the latest developments, some big secrets.
Ash was last seen on the Square three years ago, with her relationship with mum Suki at an all-time low. So why has she really returned now?
And why has the role been recast? What happened to the original actress? Here’s everything you need to know about Ash Panesar.
Ash Panesar and her first stint in EastEnders
Ash was actually the first Panesar to arrive in Walford as the bisexual Punjabi Sikh girlfriend of Iqra Ahmed. Her brothers Kheerat, Jags and Vinny soon followed as they attempted to reconcile her with their family. Ash had cut them off after an argument with her mum, Suki.
Ash is a doctor and very moral. Her falling out with her family was linked to her sexuality, as we now know Suki was struggling with her own feelings for women.
Ash and Peter Beale
Ash’s next relationship on the Square was with Peter Beale. She initially used him to get over Iqra after their break-up.
But she soon found herself falling for him and their fling became something more serious.
However, their relationship went badly wrong when Peter was seduced by and slept with Suki.
What happened between Suki and Ash?
Ash and Suki have always had a difficult relationship. Both are strong-minded, and their similarities have often led to clashes.
With Suki hiding her own sexual feelings, she refused to support Ash being part of the LGBTQ community.
Ash was offered a job in Canada, but Suki meddled to get her daughter to stay in Walford and work at the surgery she had bought. Ash felt controlled by her mum and revealed she would never let Suki visit her dad in prison.
Suki did step up for her daughter when Ash was blackmailed over accusations she had helped a patient to die. She involved Eve and Stacey, who made the whole thing disappear.
Although Ash was grateful, it did little to thaw relations with her mum. Ash was, however, very thankful to Eve and soon tried to kiss her. But Eve, having fallen for Suki, told her she wasn’t interested.
Ash continued to clash with her mum, particularly when dad Nish was released from prison. Daddy’s girl Ash was always closer to Nish.
Suki knew what Nish was like, though, and wanted her daughter as far away from him as possible. When Ash was offered the job in Canada again, Nish insisted Suki make sure she didn’t take it. But Suki did the opposite and engineered Ash’s departure, getting her out of her dad’s orbit for good.
Ash’s last mention came when Eve discovered through social media that she had got engaged. She has since married her wife Gigi, but Suki was not invited to the wedding.
When Suki and Eve were facing the adoption process, Ash refused to give a character reference for her mum. So relations between them remain strained.
Why Ash has returned to EastEnders now
Vinny got a call on Monday September 21 telling him his mum had been arrested and he needed to bail her out. When he got to the station it turned out to be sister Ash.
She had been arrested for drunk and disorderly having got straight off a flight from Canada and hit the booze. She claimed she was here to visit new baby Ethan.
However, she soon made herself at home and made it clear she was planning to stay. But where is her wife?
Who plays Ash Panesar in EastEnders?
When Ash’s return was announced earlier this month, it was revealed that actress Sakira Vel was taking over the role in her television debut.
The actress 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.”
Executive Producer Ben Wadey added: “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.”
What happened to Ash actress Gurlaine Kaur Garcha?
Ash was originally played by Gurlaine Kaur Garcha. She was in the role for four years, but it was announced that executive producer Chris Clenshaw had axed her in January 2023.
It is not known why she did not reprise the role, after previously having said she hoped her exit from the soap was ‘not forever’.
She is still acting, having starred in Amazon Prime thriller The Girlfriend last year.
In June of this year Gurlaine officially married her partner, followed by an exquisite traditional ceremony in August 2026.
Read more: Who’s leaving EastEnders this year?