- Lived with her family in a 1-bedroom flat in Mumbai from birth, before living in a 2-bedroom flat in Hong Kong from the age of 9 onwards.
- Is a celebrity patron for the charity Save the Children.
- Worked as a car valet whilst trying to make it in London as an actress.
- Early in her career she auditioned for the role of Gita Kapoor in EastEnders (1985), but her close friend Shobu Kapoor won the part instead.
- Her mother died of kidney disease in 1999, aged 62.
- Returned to work 4 months after giving birth to her son Aidan to begin filming EastEnders (1985).
- She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2021 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to Entertainment and to Charity in Staines, Surrey, England.
- Daughter Tia Nina born in November 2003 and son Aidan born in January 2007.
- Attended Island School, Hong Kong.
- Ranked #50 in The 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Zainab Khan (2015).
- Married Raiomond Mirza in a traditional Parsi wedding after being together just 6 months, having met him in Canada.
- Attended Notting Hill and Ealing High School.
- Was involved in a car crash whilst 3 months pregnant with her first child.
- Renewed her wedding vows to Raiomond Mirza on a beach in Mauritius on their 10th wedding anniversary before their children and a small group of friends.
- Her EastEnders (1985) character Zainab Masood became the 20th woman on the soap opera to give birth. Zainab had a son Kamil (played by Arian Chikhlia), born on 23 February 2010.
- She and husband Raiomond Mirza did not go on honeymoon until 3 years after they married, going to the Maldives.
- Wore a deep red sari with silver trimming at her wedding to Raiomond Mirza, then changed into an ivory sari with gold trimming for the reception.
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