Sunetra Sarker (born 25 June 1973) is an English actress and presenter, known for her roles as

Nisha Batra This is a comprehensive list of characters from the Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 Novembe ...

in '' Brookside'', Anji Mittel in ''

No Angels No Angels are an all-female pop group from Germany, formed in 2000. Originally a quintet, consisting of band members Nadja Benaissa, Lucy Diakovska, Sandy Mölling, Vanessa Petruo, and Jessica Wahls, they originated on the debut season o ...

'',

Zoe Hanna Zoe Hanna is a fictional character in BBC's medical drama ''Casualty'', portrayed by Sunetra Sarker. She first appeared in the series twenty-two episode "Take a Cup of Kindness", broadcast on 29 December 2007. The character was a consultant ...

in '' Casualty'' and Kaneez Paracha in ''

Ackley Bridge ''Ackley Bridge'' is a British comedy-drama series set in a multicultural academy school of the same name. The series is filmed in Halifax, West Yorkshire and it began broadcasting on Channel 4 on 7 June 2017. In the fourth series, ''Ackley B ...

''. In 2014, she took part in the twelfth series of ''

Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (informally known as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of usually 4 j ...

'', partnered with Brendan Cole. She became a panellist on the lunch time chat show

Loose Women ''Loose Women'' (previously known as ''Live Talk'' from 2000 to 2001) is a British talk show that broadcasts on ITV1 weekdays from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The show focuses on a panel of four female presenters who interview celebrities, talk about ...

in 2021.

Early life

Sarker was born in Liverpool into an

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

family. Her father is a retired doctor, and her mother Bisakha taught Indian classical dance, for which she was awarded an MBE in December 2013. Sarker has a degree in Information Systems for Business in Europe from

Brunel University London Brunel University London is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In Ju ...

. Her great-grandfather was the lawyer, novelist and political activist Nares Sen-Gupta. She is of Bengali origin.

Career

Sarker has played a wide variety of roles in her career. Her initial success came when she was cast as

in the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

soap opera '' Brookside'' from 1988 to 1991 and them again from 1993-1994 and from 1996-1998 and then returned in 2000 until 2003. Sarker also starred in the regional soap opera ''

London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It re ...

''. This was followed by her portrayal of Anji Mittel in ''

'' from 2004 to 2006. Sarker's next notable role was portraying the part of Clare Burns in the BBC drama '' The Chase'', until the show was pulled after its second series. In 2007, Sarker was a contestant on the celebrity cooking series ''

Celebrity MasterChef ''MasterChef'' is a competitive cooking reality show produced by Endemol Shine UK and Banijay and broadcast in 60 countries around the world. In the UK, it is produced by the BBC. The show initially ran from 1990 to 2001 and was revived in 20 ...

''. Subsequently, Sarker played the role of Dr Zoe Hanna in the BBC medical drama '' Casualty'' from December 2007 until May 2016. After her departure was announced, Sarker made a promise to co-star Jamie Davis that she would return for one episode when he decided to leave the programme, a promise she honoured in 2018, appearing in an episode broadcast on 13 January. In 2017, she played DCI Jane Burr in the second series of ITV's ''

Safe House A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is, in a generic sense, a secret place for sanctuary or suitable to hide people from the law, hostile actors or actions, or from retribution, threats or perceived danger. It may also be a metaphor. Histori ...

''. Since 2017, Sarker has starred in the

drama series ''

'' as Kaneez Paracha, for which she received the award for Best TV Character at the Asian Media Awards. On 23 July 2021, it was confirmed that Sarker would become a panellist on ''

''.

''Strictly Come Dancing''

In autumn 2014, Sarker competed in the twelfth series of the BBC's ''

'', partnered with New Zealand professional dancer Brendan Cole. In the first week, the couple danced a

Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...

to " Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" by Robert Palmer and scored 24. In the second week they danced a Cha-cha-cha to "

Million Dollar Bill "Million Dollar Bill" is a song performed by American recording artist Whitney Houston from her seventh studio album, '' I Look to You'' (2009). It was released as the official worldwide lead (second in the US) single from the album on August 1 ...

" by

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...

and scored 26. In the third week the couple danced the American Smooth to "

The Way You Look Tonight "The Way You Look To-night" is a song from the film '' Swing Time'' that was performed by Fred Astaire and composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. Fields remarked, ...

" from the film '' Swing Time'' and scored 40, including a 9 from head judge

Len Goodman Leonard Gordon Goodman (born 25 April 1944) is an English professional ballroom dancer, dance judge, and coach. He has appeared as head judge on the television dance programmes ''Strictly Come Dancing'', a programme where various celebrities c ...

. Because of Sunetra's filming schedule, the routine had to be learned in a single day. In the fourth week the couple danced the

Salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...

to " Turn the Beat Around" by

Vicki Sue Robinson Vicki Sue Robinson (May 31, 1954 – April 27, 2000) was an American theatre and film actress, and singer, closely associated with the disco era of late 1970s pop music; she is most famous for her 1976 hit, " Turn the Beat Around". Early life Bo ...

and scored 27. In the fifth week the couple danced the

Viennese Waltz Viennese waltz (german: Wiener Walzer) is a genre of ballroom dance. At least four different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in b ...

to " Anyone Who Had a Heart" by

Cilla Black Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter. Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...

and scored 30. In week six, opening the show, they danced a Jive to " Tainted Love" by Gloria Jones and scored 27. In week seven they danced a

Foxtrot The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is in a tim ...

to " All of Me" by

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...

and scored 31. In week eight, at

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre rivers, and is ...

, they danced a

Samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havi ...

to "

I Don't Feel Like Dancin' "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" is a song by American pop band Scissor Sisters. It was released in August 2006 as the first single from their second album, ''Ta-Dah'' (2006). The song was written by Jason Sellards, Scott Hoffman and Elton John, th ...

" by the

Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters were an American pop rock band formed in 2001. Its members include Jake Shears and Ana Matronic as vocalists, Babydaddy as multi-instrumentalist, Del Marquis as lead guitar/bassist, and Randy Real (who replaced Paddy Boom) ...

and scored 30. The couple were voted into the dance-off against

Judy Murray Judith Mary Murray, OBE (née Erskine; born 8 September 1959) is a Scottish tennis coach. She is the mother of professional tennis players Jamie and Sir Andy Murray. Life and career Murray was born on 8 September 1959 in Bridge of Allan, Stir ...

and Anton du Beke, but were unanimously saved by the judges. In week nine they danced a

Waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...

, to " Last Request" by

Paolo Nutini Paolo Giovanni Nutini (born 9 January 1987) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. Nutini's debut album, '' These Streets'' (2006), peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Its follow-up, '' Sunny Side Up'' (2009), de ...

, and again scored 30, placing them in one from last place. The couple was voted into the dance-off with Steve Backshall and Ola Jordan, but were saved by three votes to one from the judges. In week ten, they danced a

Rhumba Rhumba, also known as ballroom rumba, is a genre of ballroom music and dance that appeared in the East Coast of the United States during the 1930s. It combined American big band music with Afro-Cuban rhythms, primarily the son cubano, but also c ...

to "

The Girl from Ipanema "Garota de Ipanema" ("The Girl from Ipanema") is a Brazilian bossa nova and jazz song. It was a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s and won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Por ...

" by

Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...

. They were again voted into the dance-off, against Mark Wright and

Karen Hauer Karen Hauer Wyn-Jones (formerly Clifton; born 20 April 1982) is a Venezuelan-American professional Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion, best known for her appearances on the British television series ''Strictly Come Dancing.'' She is ...

, but were unanimously voted out by the judges.

Personal life

On 23 February 2017, Sarker and her ancestors were the subject of an episode of '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' shown on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

in which she traced them to

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

. She learned about her family's involvement in the struggle for independence in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and one of her ancestors' connection to

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

. Travelling next to

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...

, she visited her great-grandmother's ancestral village where she discovered the story of how her family were caught up in the Bangladeshi

war of independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence. List See also * Lists of active separatist movements * List of civil wars * List of ...

from

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

in 1971. Sarker married Nick Corfield in 2003 and they have a son, Noah, born in 2001. Sarker and Corfield divorced in 2009. In November 2018 Sarker married Scott Carey, whom she has known since 1991.

Filmography

Guest appearances

*''

Epic Win ''Epic Win'' is a British game show that aired on BBC One from 20 August to 24 September 2011 and was hosted by Alexander Armstrong. Format In the programme, contestants complete individual challenges such as trying to dress whilst bouncing a foo ...

'' (3 September 2011) *'' Pointless Celebrities'' (19 April 2014) (25 May 2019) *'' Big Star's Little Star'' (7 May 2014) *'' Weekend'' (7 June 2014) *''

Celebrity Fifteen to One ''Celebrity Fifteen to One'' is a celebrity version of the Channel 4 game show '' Fifteen to One''. William G. Stewart presented the first two episodes, which were Christmas specials that aired on 27 December 1990 and 30 December 1992. Adam Hill ...

'' (23 December 2014) *''

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip ''Antiques Road Trip'' (also known as ''Celebrity Antiques Road Trip'') is a BBC television series produced by STV Studios. It was first shown on BBC Two from 2010 to 2012, and has been shown on BBC One since 2013. This show is not to be conf ...

'' (24 November 2015) *'' The Chase: Celebrity Special'' (3 April 2016) *'' The Saturday Show'' (7 May 2016) *'' Debatable'' (25 & 29 August, 9 & 15 September 2016, 3 May 2017) *'' All Star Mr & Mrs'' (21 September 2016) *'' Harry Hill's Tea Time'' (4 December 2016) *'' Sunday Brunch'' (19 February 2017) *'' Who Do You Think You Are?'' (23 February 2017) *''

All Round to Mrs. Brown's ''All Round to Mrs. Brown's'' is an Irish comedy talk show created by and starring Brendan O'Carroll with his family and other cast members from his original comedy show, ''Mrs. Brown's Boys'' and Aly Mahmoud as Chef Aly. After the final episode ...

'' (29 April 2017) *''

Celebrity Gogglebox ''Gogglebox'' is a British reality television series created by Stephen Lambert, Tania Alexander and Tim Harcourt, and broadcast on Channel 4. The series documents families and groups of friends around the United Kingdom who are filmed for thei ...

'' (2019) *'' Richard Osman's House of Games'' (October 2020) *''Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Christmas Line Up'' (December 2021) *''

Celebrity Catchphrase ''Catchphrase'' is a British game show based on the short-lived American game show of the same name. It originally aired on ITV in the United Kingdom between 12 January 1986 and 23 April 2004. A currently running revival premiered on ITV on ...

'' (22 January 2022) *'' The Great Festive Pottery Throw Down'' (26 December 2022)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sarker, Sunetra 1973 births Living people Actresses from Liverpool English film actresses English soap opera actresses English television actresses English people of Bengali descent British actresses of Indian descent Bengali Hindus Alumni of Brunel University London