Tonight’s episode of EastEnders will see 15 year old Avani Nandra-Hart, played by Aaliyah James, subjected to a police strip search after she and friends Lily Slater and Amy Mitchell play truant from school and encounter Marvin, who is known for selling Avani vapes. When the police show up, Marvin flees and discards pills near Avani, leading to the girls being taken to the station where Avani faces a search without parental presence due to her parents not answering their phones. In a twist off-screen, Aaliyah James, the actress behind Avani, isn’t actually a teen but 24 years old, meaning there’s a nine-year difference between her and her on-screen persona. Embracing the age gap with humour, Aaliyah celebrated her true age on social media with a cheeky post: “Guys… I’m now 15.. I mean 24 years old.”
Priya is left horrified when she learns what has happened to her daughter
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Aaliyah stepped into the spotlight in 2023, marking her first significant TV role. Upon joining the iconic BBC soap, she shared her excitement: “To be given this opportunity as my official debut to screen is a true blessing. I have found home in the supportiveness of the cast and crew, and I’m very thankful to feel a part of the EastEnders family already. “I can’t wait to bring Avani to life and to walk her path in Walford, and I’m excited to see what the universe has planned for my own future,” she gushed about her role. Since making a splash on the Square, Avani’s found herself at the centre of gripping plots. The New Year brought tragedy as she witnessed her grandfather Nish Panesar’s fatal plunge during Suki and Eve’s disaster-stricken wedding – a push orchestrated by her dad, Ravi, reports the Mirror.
The star joined the soap in 2023
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Fast forward, and now we see Avani supporting Lily through the loss of Martin Fowler, who met his end in the catastrophic Queen Vic explosion marking the 40th anniversary. But life in Albert Square is never simple. An impromptu “adventure day” skipping school led Avani straight into police custody. And the drama doesn’t stop there for young Avani. Spoilers tease a troubling scene ahead – her horrified parents discovering her unconscious in the playground after going AWOL with a bottle of vodka. Will Avani be ok? EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
