Emmerdale actress Rebecca Sarker revealed she was nearly axed from the ITV soap back in 2018.

Loyal fans of the long running show will know the brunette beauty best for her role as Manpreet Sharma. ,But what fans may be surprised to know is that her time on the show was almost cut short just months after she joined.

Since her character was introduced, Dr Manpreet has won over the audience and has established herself as an integral member of the Anderson clan. The GP recently found herself in the heart of a nail-biting storyline when her character’s sister Meena Jutla (played by Paige Sindhu) was exposed as a serial killer.

The evil killer took the lives of several characters in the village which ultimately led to her arrest and lifetime imprisonment. The shockwaves of this storyline continue to impact the entire village community, reports the Mirror

In a recent interview, the soap siren, 49, opened up about her initial fleeting appearance on the show. As she looked back on the early months on the show, she explained how a sudden shift in her debut plot saved her character from being cut the show.

She explained, “Manpreet was first introduced as a love interest for Rishi. Early on there was an idea she would cheat on him with his son, Jai

“Originally she was meant to be a bit of a gold digger and a temptress, but I’m glad they didn’t go down that route as it gave the character more longevity.” The actress also revealed the potential awkwardness she anticipated if her character had pursued an affair with Jai, played by Chris Bisson.

Fans of Coronation Street will remember the TV favourite often shared the screen with Chris because they were onscreen siblings Nita and Vikran Desai back in late 90s to early 2000s. She recalled with Inside Soap, “Also, Chris Bisson and I played brother and sister in Corrie 25 years ago, so I was a bit concerned at the thought of our characters having an affair!”

Manpreet is currently in a happy relationship with Charles and envisions a long future together. Discussing what the upcoming months and years might bring, she predicted: “Charles is Manpreet’s hero, and definitely the love of her life.

“They first met when she was in a very unhappy marriage with an abusive husband. People were rooting for them to get back together once they reconnected in the village, and they got their happy ending.

“She did turn down his recent proposal, only because it wasn’t the right circumstances, but it’s always been about Charles for her.” Loyal viewers will have to stay tuned to see how their relationship will develop on the soap.