EastEnders: British TV icon Laila Rouass making guest appearance on BBC soap

EastEnders is set to welcome actress Laila Rouass to the BBC soap next month, where she will appear in a guest stint as a new character, Ayesha. Rouass, who has gained recognition for her roles in popular TV shows such as Holby City, Primeval, and Footballer's Wives, will bring to life a character with a mysterious past tied to the Panesar family.

Ayesha's arrival in Walford is prompted by an invitation from Nish Panesar, and it soon becomes clear that she shares a significant history with Nish, Suki, and the rest of the Panesar family. The storyline will reveal that Ayesha had known Suki and Nish many years ago, though they have not been in contact for a long time.

Rouass, who has already started filming her scenes, said: “I cannot tell you how excited I am to be in EastEnders! I was born in the East End and grew up there, and there was such a buzz when the show started. Even though I was little at the time, I can clearly remember the first episode and Doctor Legg arriving at the flat where Reg Cox had been murdered.

“I’ve known Navin Chowdhry for many years, so it was great to work with him again and to do scenes with Balvinder Sopal (Suki Panesar) and the rest of the Panesars as Ayesha reunites with them. This is a lifelong dream come true!”

Laila Rouass has had an illustrious career in television, beginning with her breakout role in Footballer's Wives, where she played the glamorous and scheming Amber Gates. She then joined the cast of Holby City, portraying registrar Sahira Shah, a role that earned her critical acclaim. Rouass further expanded her range with a starring role in the sci-fi series Primeval, where she played Egyptologist Sarah Page.