Sawalha sisters at war
Nadia: We have a volatile relationship. Julia: You destroyed our family ... you’re crying fake tears
LOOSE Women star Nadia Sawalha has been publicly accused by her sister Julia of being a liar who has ‘destroyed’ their family.
In a vicious war of words, Absolutely Fabulous actress Julia, 50, said her sister was using ‘fake tears to gain sympathy and attention’ after discussing their relationship on the ITV daytime programme.
Nadia had said on air that she has a ‘really volatile relationship’ with her younger sibling, alleging they go through phases where they don’t speak.
Former EastEnders star Nadia spoke of the sibling rift during a special segment celebrating Loose Women’s 20th anniversary.
Appearing close to tears, she said: ‘[Julia] is totally amazing. She’s really amazing, my younger sister, but we’ve always had a really volatile relationship.
‘So, we’ve always had periods of time in our life where we don’t speak. I always say I have the best time or the worst time of my life with her. It’s the same with both my sisters.’
But Julia – who rose to fame playing Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous – hit back on Twitter, insisting her 54-year-old sister is using their six-year feud for publicity. She wrote: ‘So tired of Nadia Sawalha talking about our “stormy” relationship, which she created. I’ve kept my privacy for six years to protect my family, while she talks lies and rubbish. You have destroyed our family so don’t sit on TV with your fake tears to gain sympathy and attention.’
She added: ‘It’s very difficult when you only see the story from one side. I’m not actually fighting, she is, but [she] paints a very different picture publicly and I’ve had enough.’
Offering some insight into the origins of their feud on Monday, Nadia said: ‘My mum got pregnant with Julia and I was so excited. My mum had her and freaked out so sent me away to my grandmothers. So I think because of that, my younger sister and I have always had a really stormy relationship.’
Nadia and Julia previously fell out in 2002 after the younger sister’s then partner and Jonathan Creek costar Alan Davies complained when a picture of him at Nadia’s wedding was published in an OK! Magazine spread. Nadia called him a ‘miserable git’ in response.
The pair also have an older sister, Dina – to whom Nadia did not speak for years after clashing over Dina’s choice of husband. However, the sisters made up once the couple separated. Nadia has said of her feuds with her sisters: ‘We’ve had some rocky times, but the culprit has always been men.’
Referring to her father – Jordanianborn actor Nadim Sawalha, who moved to Britain in the 1950s – Nadia said: ‘My dad always says “formidable women”. That’s all he wanted. He came to this country with £50 in his pocket because he wanted daughters that could be free.’
She added: ‘His sister was married off at 14. He said, “I want strong, independent, professional women that follow their dreams.” What he got was three really independent, difficult women.’