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Scarlett. · 21-07-2009, 11:31 AM

Sharma siblings to take Emmerdale by storm

Emmerdale will get an injection of high-flying glamour this autumn when young, ambitious siblings Jai, Nikhil and Priya Sharma arrive in the village to run the new factory.

Eldest brother Jai will be played by East is East star Chris Bisson, Nikhil will be played by Torchwood heartthrob Rik Makarem and their stunning younger sister Priya will be played by Hollyoaks in the City actress Effie Woods.

The lively, entrepreneurial siblings will hit screens in September when they arrive in the village to manage the new confectionary factory.

Actor Chris Bisson, 34, has a wealth of television experience, most recently starring in Channel 4’s award-winning drama Shameless for three years as Kash Karib. He also won critical acclaim for his role as Saleem Khan in BAFTA-winning British feature film East is East.

Chris says “Jai is a bit of a charmer and has an eye for the ladies but he’s also a hard worker with a good business mind. I’m delighted to be joining Emmerdale at a time when the show is going from strength to strength. I can’t wait to get started.”

Yorkshire-born actor Rik Makarem, 27, was recently seen starring in BBC One’s Torchwood opposite John Barrowman. He has also recently finished filming a new series of Foyle’s War for ITV.

Rik says “Nikhil is a fiercely ambitious and determined individual, but having lived in the shadow of his brother in the past, he has an indomitable spirit and drive to make the factory a success. He’s very quick-witted and extremely protective of his younger sister. I’m really looking forward to filming my first scenes later this month.”

Effie Woods, 28, has previously appeared as series regular Millie Andrews in Hollyoaks: In the City for E4. Effie says “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Emmerdale. Priya is fun-loving and fancy-free and I think she’ll be giving her brothers a few headaches in the future! She’s going to be a lot of fun to play.”

Gavin Blyth, Series Producer says “The Sharmas are a young, contemporary family independent of their parents and will bring the factory into the heart of the village community. They will add real vitality to life in Emmerdale.”

This is the latest in a series of signings for Emmerdale, as the show continues to march into an exciting new era. Other arrivals coming up include Cutting It actress Sian Reeves as Sally Spode and the much-anticipated return of Charity Tate, when Emma Atkins reprises her role in October.