Priya Kotecha

Priya Sharma is the daughter of Rishi and Georgia Sharma and the sister of Nikhil and Jai Sharma. She arrived in the village in September 2009, before departing in 2010 and returning in late 2011.

2009-2010: Arrival in Emmerdale
Upon arriving in Emmerdale, Priya gets drunk with Eli Dingle in The Woolpack. She then ends up dancing on top of Ashley Thomas's car. She is a bit of a handful and a party girl and does not like taking responsibility. Priya is given a job at Jai and Nikhil's factory, but quits after her brothers make her acting supervisor. She reveals that she did not like the way it affected her friendships with the other employees, in particular Eli. Priya eventually returns to work, but not as a supervisor. Priya hands in her notice to her surprised siblings, admitting that she is tired of the country life and being bossed about. Priya leaves the village in a taxi, as Jai and Nikhil wave her off.

2011: Return to Emmerdale
A year later, Priya returns to the village with her parents, Georgia and Rishi, to meet Jai's fiancée, Charity. Priya announces that she is staying and moving back in with Jai and Nikhil. Priya flirts with Cain Dingle in The Woolpack and they begin a casual relationship. Jai tries to convince her that Cain is trying to destroy their family in revenge for him being with Charity, but Priya does not believe him. When she discovers that Cain got Amy Wyatt pregnant, Priya is disgusted and ends the relationship. Priya gets a job working behind the bar of The Woolpack.

2012-2013: Relationship with David Metcalfe
Priya develops a crush on David Metcalfe, who initially resists her advances on account of his marriage to Alicia Gallagher, who is serving time in prison. Priya continues to flirt with David, who succumbs to her advances. They arrange to meet up outside the village and Nikhil catches them together. Believing that David's marriage to Alicia is genuine, he is disgusted and tries to get David and Priya to end the relationship. However, Priya persuades David to continue seeing her in secret. Priya is devastated when David ends their relationship, so he can put Jacob first. Priya later agrees to go on a date with Robbie Lawson.

Jai sleeps with Rachel Breckle and she soon becomes pregnant. She gives birth during an argument with Charity, to Jai's child. They manage to keep the secret for a while, but after Rachel punches Megan Macey in the face, the word soon gets out. To protect his son, Rishi tells his family that he is the father of Rachel's baby son Archie. Priya, Georgia and Nikhil all disown Rishi, but Jai sticks by him. Rishi and Jai offer David another shop to run, which he decides to accept. When Priya finds out, she is fuming with anger. There is a horrific argument in the street, which Rachel and Alicia soon get involved in. When Priya insults Rachel and Archie, she slaps her. Priya is about to slap Rachel back but is stopped by David and Alicia. Priya is angry that the pair stopped her so turns around and slaps Alicia. Alicia goes to attack Priya but David stops her, saying if she hits Priya, she will lose her probation. Priya walks into The Woolpack and tells Chas Dingle that she is leaving the village, and is shocked when David asks her for his ring back. Priya is fuming and slaps David, but he takes the ring off her and proposes again. When Alicia arrives to tell David that she loves him, Priya answers the door and tells Alicia that she and David are engaged again, devastating Alicia.