# Balvinder Sopal

Balvinder Sopal (born 4 December 1978) is an English actress, whose acting career has spanned over two decades. She rose to prominence for her portrayal as Suki Panesar-Unwin in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since January 2020. Sopal has also appeared in other British soap operas including Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks, and voiced Simran Kaur in the radio soap opera Silver Street from 2004 to 2010.

## Early life

Balvinder Sopal was born on 4 December 1978 in Chatham, Medway. She is the eldest of four children and was brought up in Gillingham, Medway.
She attended the University of Huddersfield.

## Career

Sopal made her professional acting debut as Bhelua in The Beautiful Violin at Oldham Coliseum Theatre in 2001. She then went on to appear in stage productions such as Absent Friends, Relatively Speaking and The Tales of the Harrow. Sopal made her onscreen debut in a 2001 episode of the BBC series Kidhaar! as Reena directed by Kate Rowland. From 2004 to 2010, she voiced Simran Kaur in the BBC Asian Network radio soap opera Silver Street. In 2008, she appeared in the BBC film White Girl as Fatima.
From 2009 to 2018, Sopal made numerous appearances in four British television soap operas; Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks. In December 2019, she was cast in her first regular role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Suki Panesar. Her first scene aired on 27 January 2020. Suki's most notable storyline includes her on-off affair with Eve Unwin (Heather Peace), which won several awards.

## Filmography

Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Kidhaar! | Reena | 1 episode |
| 2004–2010 | Silver Street | Simran Kaur (voice) | Radio soap opera |
| 2008 | White Girl | Fatima | Television film |
| 2009 | Coming Up | Sofia | Episode: "Adha Cup" |
| 2009, 2014, 2017–2018 | Emmerdale | Legal Aid Solicitor / DC Graves / DC Khan | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | Five Days | Detainee's Wife | Episode: "Day 8" |
| 2010 | Waterloo Road | Doctor | 1 episode |
| 2013, 2017 | Coronation Street | P.C. Marks | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Call the Midwife | Mumtaz Gani | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Doctors | Aafiyah Choudary | Episode: "Without and Within" |
| 2018 | Hollyoaks | Liz | 4 episodes |
| 2020–present | EastEnders | Suki Panesar-Unwin | Regular role |
| 2023 | EastEnders: The Six | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | EastEnders: 40 Years on the Square | Herself | Interviewed guest |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | Anatomy of a Crime | Dr Ali | Film |
| 2012 | Naachle London | Laxmi Khan | |
| 2012 | Perfume | Mam | Short film |
| 2014 | Honeycomb Lodge | Jas' Girlfriend | |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2001 | The Beautiful Violin | Bhelua |
| 2004 | Absent Friends | Evelyn |
| 2006 | Relatively Speaking | Ginny |
| 2008 | Beast Market | Various |
| 2008 | Mela | Mariam |
| 2009 | Table Manners | Annie |
| 2009 | Counted? | Various |
| 2010 | The House of Bilquis Bibi | Zainab |
| 2010 | The Tales of the Narrow Road | Mukti |
| 2011 | Behna | Masi Ji |
| 2012–2013 | The Snow Queen | Snow Queen/Goddess |
| 2013 | Our Glass House | Sufiya |
| 2014, 2016 | Stowaway | Salma/Debbie |
| 2014 | Home Sweet Home | Daadi |
| 2015 | The Deranged Marriage | Lata |
| 2015 | Storm in a Chai Cup | Reet |
| 2015 | The Edge | The Edge |
| 2016 | Sleepless | Cosima Trevison |
| 2017 | Running Wild | Mum |
| 2017 | Partition | Denise |
| 2018 | The Thing that Came to Dinner | Mrs Caldwell |
| 2018 | Delete | Sue |
| 2019 | Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile | Mo |
| 2019 | My Beautiful Laundrette | Bilquis/Moose |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2020 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Villain | EastEnders | Longlisted |
| 2020 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Newcomer | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2020 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Newcomer | EastEnders | Second |
| 2021 | National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Longlisted |
| 2021 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2021 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Villain | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2021 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Actor (Female) | EastEnders | Third |
| 2022 | Asian Media Awards | Best TV Character | EastEnders | Won |
| 2022 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Couple (with Heather Peace) | EastEnders | Second |
| 2023 | National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Longlisted |
| 2023 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Partnership (with Peace) | EastEnders | Shortlisted |
| 2023 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Actor | EastEnders | Fourth |
| 2023 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Couple (with Peace) | EastEnders | Won |
| 2024 | RadioTimes.com Soap Awards | Best Actor | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2024 | RadioTimes.com Soap Awards | Inspiring Storyline of the Year | EastEnders | Won |
| 2024 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Partnership (with Peace) | EastEnders | Shortlisted |
| 2024 | Inside Soap Awards | Soap Superstar | EastEnders | Won |
| 2024 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Partnership (with Peace) | EastEnders | Won |
| 2024 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Actor | EastEnders | Won |
| 2024 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Couple (with Peace) | EastEnders | Second |