Gurlaine Kaur Garcha

Ash Kaur EASTENDERS

“There will definitely be shocks along the way!”

When Ash Kaur was introduced by Iqra to her shocked family last year, we had no idea we were seeing the first arrival of an intriguing new clan into Walford. Soon we met her three brothers – Jags, Kheerat and Vinny – and realised all was not well. And then the poison at the heart of the family was revealed, as scheming mum Suki swanned into town last month.

Given that Ash is at loggerheads with Suki, we’ll be seeing a lot of 26-year-old Gurlaine in the coming months – and she reveals that we’ve only just scratched the surface…

“There will definitely be shocks along the way,” she teases. “Viewers will be glued to their screens!”

Kicking off!

For talented Gurlaine, getting the role on Eastenders was the chance of a lifetime. She originally made a name as a UK Taekwondo champion – “I still work with my instructor, but competing is off the cards at the moment as I can’t risk an injury” – but having already acted in Doctors and Holby, she was ready for her big break. And Gurlaine’s screen love Priya Davdra (Iqra) helped her navigate those daunting first steps in Walford...

“I was really nervous, but Priya had already been at Eastenders a little longer, and she was good at keeping me calm and reassuring me,” beams the star. “Neither of us had done anything as big as Eastenders before, and that’s helped us to relate.”

Family matters

Gurlaine is close to her own family, and often posts tributes to them on social media, as well as her cute dog Cady – “I want Ash and Iqra to get a dog,” she says. “Cady is available if needed!”

In Walford, however, Ash’s situation isn’t so rosy, with Suki seeming deadset on keeping Ash out in the cold.

But as her mum’s cancer lies continue, will junior doctor Ash be the one to suss out her scheme? Whatever happens, for Gurlaine, it’s exciting to have the chance to to represent Punjabi families – and she’s loving her new screen clan.

“There’s a shortage of representation of Punjabi families on TV, so it’s great to be part of Walford’s first one,” enthuses the actress. “Filming with the Panesars feels like home – it’s so nice!”