Saira Choudhry (born July 1982) is a British actress.[2] She is best known for portraying Saira in BBC's Life, Naila in ITV's Coronation Street and Anita Roy in Hollyoaks and Tegan in Paul Abbott's No Offence.[3][4]
Saira Choudhry | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 1982 (age 42)[1] Cheetham Hill, Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2008–present |
Early life
editSaira Choudhry was born in Cheetham Hill, an inner-city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. She was born to an Irish mother and an Indian father, the latter of whom died when Choudhry was ten years old.[5]
Career
editChoudhry first came to prominence in 2008, when she joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Anita Roy,[6] a part she played for 198 episodes, leaving the series in 2011.
After appearing in shows such as Coronation Street[7] and Doctors, Choudhry starred as PC Tegan Thompson in Channel 4's comedy drama series No Offence from 2015 to 2018.[8] On playing Tegan, Choudhry told the Manchester Evening News: "[Tegan]'s braver than me. She’s completely different to any character I’ve been known for before [...] It was nice to play such a strong female character and I think the way Paul has written her and the other women in the show is amazing. Women and men love to see that."[9][10]
In 2020, Choudhry appeared as Saira Malik in the BBC drama series Life.[11][12][13]
In 2022, Choudhry appeared as Alice in one episode of BBC comedy Peacock, alongside Allan Mustafa. Later in 2022, Choudhry starred as Nancy in the CBBC series Dodger, a reimagining of the Dickens’ character's life before Oliver Twist.[14][15]
In February 2024, it was announced that Choudhry had been cast as maths teacher Nisha Chandra in Waterloo Road.[16]
Personal life
editChaudhry's mother, Fae, is a no-smoking advisor. In 2010, Chaudhry helped to launch that year's No Smoking drive.[17][18]
In 2014, Choudhry set up her own drama school, TV Talent.[19][20]
In December 2022, Choudhry announced her engagement to Marcus Jackson.[21]
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2011 | Hollyoaks | Anita Roy | 198 episodes |
| 2012 | Crime Stories | Molly | 1 episode Credited as Saira Choudry |
| 2013, 2015, 2017–2019 |
Coronation Street | Naila Badal | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | Doctors | Farah | Episode: "The Girl in the Photograph" |
| 2014 | The Driver | Tasha | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Fungus the Bogeyman | Carly | Series 1 Episodes 1 & 2 |
| 2015–2018 | No Offence | PC Tegan Thompson | 21 episodes |
| 2017 | Porridge | Joanne | 1 episode |
| Cold Feet | Vedika Jawad | Series 7 Episodes 1 & 7 | |
| 2020 | Life | Saira Malik | 6 episodes |
| 2021 | McDonald & Dodds | Alliyah | Episode: "The War of the Rose"[22] |
| 2022 | Peacock | Alice | 1 episode |
| Dodger | Nancy | 4 episodes, 1 episode uncredited | |
| 2024–present | Waterloo Road | Nisha Chandra |
References
edit- ^ "Company Check TV Talent". Company Check. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Who is Life actress and Michelle Keegan lookalike Saira Choudhry?". Entertainment Daily. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ Heward, Emily (3 August 2015). "No Offence star Saira Choudhry on returning to the scene of the crime for series two". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ "Guz Khan - Saira Choudhry". BBC. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Kearney, Sarah-Louise (15 February 2017). "Saira Choudhry talks Acting, TV shows and Diversity". Desi Blitz. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (18 April 2009). "Choudhry praises 'Hollyoaks' race plot". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Bourne, Dianne (27 July 2018). "Corrie journalist Naila is back - this is where you've seen her before". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Griffin, Susan (26 September 2018). "No Offence star Saira Choudhry on life after Corrie and why she set up a drama academy for kids". I Love Manchester. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Heward, Emily (3 August 2015). "No Offence star Saira Choudhry on returning to the scene of the crime for series two". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Saira Choudhry: No Offence. Guz finds out about what it takes to play a feisty female cop and where to draw the line with Saira in a game of No Offence". BBC Asian Network. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Saira Choudhry - Life (TV Mini Series 2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Polianskaya, Alina (27 October 2020). "Life cast: Who stars with Saira Choudhry in BBC One drama series, and what time it's on tonight". iNews. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ McLennan, Patrick (13 October 2020). "Life twist completely bamboozles viewers of the hit BBC One drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Production has wrapped on hit family comedy drama Dodger". BBC Media Centre. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Cremona, Patrick (7 February 2022). "Meet the cast of CBBC Dickens series Dodger". Radio Times. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Sansome, Jessica (27 February 2024). "Jason Manford says 'no idea' as it's revealed he's joined BBC's Waterloo Road". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ "Hollyoaks' actress Saira Choudhry launches World No Tobacco Day campaign". Liverpool Echo. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Soap star Saira Choudhry urges young women to kick the habit". The Scotsman. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Company Check TV Talent". Company Check. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Kearney, Sarah-Louise (15 February 2017). "Saira Choudhry talks Acting, TV shows and Diversity". Desi Blitz. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Tonks, Phoebe (31 December 2022). "Coronation Street star Saira Choudhry engaged to partner – 23 years after first meeting". OK.
- ^ Rhind-Tutt, Louise (18 January 2021). "Middleton actress Saira Choudhry to star in ITV's McDonald & Dodds". I Love Manchester. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
External links
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