Actress Julia Sawalha makes her TV comeback this Sunday, when she guest stars in series 13 of Vera on ITV1. While some viewers might know her best for playing Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous, she’s also famed for her very public feud with her sister Nadia.
Julia guest stars as Helen Rushden in the Vera episode entitled Tender (Sunday, January 14, 2023). And it’s her first screen role since 2016, when she reprised her role of the tortured daughter in the Ab Fab film.
So where has she been for eight years? And what’s her relationship like with her Loose Women sibling Nadia? Here’s everything you need to know…
Who plays Helen Rushden in Vera?
Actress Julia Sawalha joins the cast of Vera in series 13, episode 2, entitled Tender. She played Helen Rushden in the Brenda Blethyn-led detective drama.
In the Sunday night drama, viewers will see DCI Stanhope investigating an intriguing and puzzling case after the body of a sickly young girl is found in a railway siding in the middle of nowhere.
The case soon turns up twists and turns that make Vera question who this girl actually was… Did her weakened state allow someone to take advantage of her?
Shaun Dooley, Fraser James, and Gillian Kearney also guest star alongside Julia.
What is Vera star Julia Sawalha famous for?
Of course, TV fans will know Julia best for playing Saffron ‘Saffy’ Monsoon in the BBC series Absolutely Fabulous, and subsequent film. She played the role on and off between 1992 and 2012. In 2016, she reprised the role for the film, opposite
She’s also famous for playing Lynda Day in Press Gang from 1989 to 1993. She also played Hannah Greyshott in Second Thoughts, and its sequel series, Faith in the Future.
Julia played Lydia Bennet in the television miniseries of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in 1995. Her other notable roles include Carla Borrego in Jonathan Creek, and Dorcas Lane in the BBC’s costume drama Lark Rise to Candleford.
Her film credits include Buddy’s Song, The Wind in the Willows, and Chicken Run.
Where has Julia been for the past eight year?
Since the Absolutely Fabulous series ended in 2012, Julia slowed down her TV appearances… She popped up as Mrs. Cresswell in one episode of Marple, and played the same role in one instalment of Mystery! a year later. In 2014, she portrayed Jan Ward in Remember Me, and two years later Penny Henderson in Midsomer Murders. After the Ab Fab film in 2016, Julia has not appeared on screen – until now.
In 2016, the actress took a break to follow other pursuits. She has now returned to acting and has completed filming on Vera.
How old is Julia Sawalha? Where is she from?
Julia Sawalha was born September 9, 1968, in Wandsworth, London
She is currently 55 years of age. She was educated at the Theatre Arts School, a fee-paying independent school, which is part of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
Who are Julia Sawalha’s parents?
Julia Sawalha is the daughter of Roberta Lane and Jordan-born actor Nadim Sawalha. Nadim appeared in two Bond films: The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, and The Living Daylights in 1987.
He’s currently 90 years of age. He had three daughters Julia Sawalha, Nadia Sawalha, and Dina Sawalha.
Nadim’s brother – Julia and Nadia’s uncle – is Jordanian comedian Nabil Sawalha.
Does Julia Sawalha speak to her sister Nadia?
Julia and her sister have admitted in the past that they have a ‘volatile’ relationship. Their feud has often spilled into the public domain.
As recent as 2019, Julia accused her sister Nadia of “destroying their family”. In August of that year, Nadia became emotional as she spoke about her “volatile” and “stormy” relationship with Julia during a segment on Loose Women. At that time, Nadia said she can have “the worst time or the best time of my life” with her sister.
Talking about her two sisters, Nadia said: “Well, me and my eldest sister Dina were very, very close growing up and then my mum got pregnant with Julia. She then had her and I was the classic sibling, wanting to stick bottles in her mouth and wanting to look after her.
“My mum freaked out and sent me away to my grandmother’s. I think because of that, my younger sister and I have always had a really stormy relationship.”
Nadia continued: “We’ve always had a really volatile relationship. We’ve always had periods of time in our lives where we don’t speak. I always say I have the worst time or the best time of my life with her. It’s the same with both of my sisters. [My dad] came with 50 quid in his pocket and he came here because he wanted to have six daughters that could be free.
“He said he wanted strong, independent, professional women that follow their dreams. And what he got was three really independent and difficult women and because of that, we have a very intense, on and off relationship.”
Julia calls sister Nadia a liar
But Julia subsequently hit back and accused Nadia of telling “lies”, and called out her “fake tears” on the show. She wrote on Twitter: “So tired of #nadiasawalha talking about our ‘stormy’ relationship which she created.
“I’ve kept my privacy for six years to protect my family, whilst she talks lies and rubbish. You have destroyed our family so don’t sit on TV with your fake tears to gain sympathy and attention.”
The former Absolutely Fabulous star added in a separate tweet: “It’s very difficult when you only see the story from one side. I’m not actually fighting, she is, but paints a very different picture publicly and I’ve had enough.”
She later added: “Just watching six years of her lies finally got to me, which of course is just what she wants, more attention… I have allowed someone else to carry the narrative for six years… My pressure cooker blew today, I’m only human.”
In the past, Julia described their sibling relationship as “intense”. She told The Times in 2007: “Nadia and I have always had a very intense relationship, and there have been moments in my life when I’ve felt very close to her and I had the love I wanted from her. But there were also times when she’d keep me at a distance, which really confused me.”
History of Julia Sawalha and Nadia’s feud
Aside from the usual sibling rivalries of growing up, the sisters fell out when Nadia set up her own sandwich business after leaving school. Julia went to work for her, but became sick of Nadia “bossing me around”. On one occasion, Julia “slammed down her knife” and stormed out, starting a long period of estrangement.
The ice thawed in the mid-90s when Julia got Nadia signed by her agent and invited her to move into her flat in north London. But again, it ended in a “slamming-doors argument” about who would have which room and Julia refused to speak to her.
Although Nadia found work playing nightclub boss Annie Palmer on EastEnders, she admitted she felt “insecure” when everyone called her “Julia: as a result of their likeness.
In 2002, the siblings fell out again when pictures of Nadia’s wedding to TV executive Mark Adderley appeared in OK! magazine. The pictures also featured Julia with her boyfriend at the time, comedian Alan Davies, who did not want to appear in the mag. At the time, Alan said: “She sold these pictures of Julia and me without consulting us. I was furious.”
Julia insisted she “had no idea they were doing an OK! spread”, adding: “I wouldn’t speak to her.” The sisters didn’t speak for two years, eventually reconciling when Julia and Alan split up.
Nadia said: “Julia and I have gone through loads of not speaking to each other, but this last time, when we were very angry with each other, was really horrible.”
Read more: Raging Julia Sawalha accuses sister Nadia of ‘destroying their family’
Vera series 13 episode 2 guest stars Julia Sawalha as Helen Rushden. See it on Sunday, January 14, 2023 at 8pm on ITV1.
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