Dr Manpreet Sharma (née Jutla) (Fake name "Saira") is a General Practitioner at Brook Cottage Surgery and ex wife of Rishi Sharma.
Biography[]
1973-2018: Past[]
While growing up, Manpreet always felt her much younger sister Meena would always get things given to her and get her own way, while Manpreet had to work for everything she got, Manpreet felt slightly jealous of her spoilt sister.
Manpreet married Dennis and the two later had a daughter, Aiesha. Manpreet later became bored of her marriage and started to live a double life by dating Charles Anderson and calling herself "Saira". Manpreet became attached to Charles and his young son, Ethan, and planned an expensive wedding, which caused great debt for Charles. However, on the day of the wedding Manpreet realised she had made a complete mistake and went back to Dennis and Aiesha.
Manpreet and Dennis later divorced as she discovered Dennis had been seeing many other women behind her back, including Meena. In the aftermath, Manpreet became estranged from her sister and a shopping addiction took hold, causing Manpreet to become thousands of pounds in debt.
2018-2020: Becoming a Sharma[]
Dr Jutla covered for Dr Cavanagh at the Abbott Lane Surgery in July 2018. Rishi Sharma arrived for his health check, and took a fancy towards the doctor. He tells her about the successful family business and asks if she has any children. She reveals that she has a daughter, and Rishi sets Manpreet's daughter up on a date with his son Jai.
Manpreet and Rishi started dating and she got along well with his two children, Jai and Priya. By January 2019, Manpreet considered moving closer to the village in order to be closer to work and Rishi eventually asked her to move in with him. In February, Manpreet moved into Holdgate Farm but Jai started getting suspicious when she brought a box of things she didn't want him to touch. He then caught her trying to reason with debt collectors as they seized her car and eventually discovered she had a spending addiction. With Jai's himself having a history of addiction, he tried to help her get her to visit a support group. The following week, Manpreet stole from the factory accounts and eventually came clean to Rishi.
In March 2019, Rishi reveals that he and Manpreet got married in Las Vegas.
In July 2019, desperate to help Manpreet with her mounting debts, Rishi had let the factory pay the prize when he entered a deal with the ruthless Kim Tate, taking a secret loan from her. Things turned even worse when a fire broke out at the factory the following month, forcing Rishi and Priya to give up their shares in the business and sell to Kim. Manpreet struggled with her guilt for how much Rishi had given up because of her problems and attempted to leave the village because of it but Priya and Jai found her before and convinced her to stay.
In December 2019, Manpreet was involved in the village panto alongside Bob Hope and soon took charge, annoying Bob with how much she took over.
2020 to present: Meena and Charles' reappearances[]
Manpreet and Rishi enjoyed a rather quiet 2020, until September when Manpreet's estranged sister Meena showed up. Manpreet was immediately opposed to Meena becoming part of her life again, however Rishi suggested that the two sisters reconcile, but Manpreet revealed that the reason they were estranged was because Meena had an affair with her ex-husband Dennis. Meena later made a public apology to Manpreet and Manpreet eventually forgave her. The two sisters then began to work alongside other when Meena got a job at the surgery.
In January 2021, Manpreet gets an unwelcome shock when she crosses paths with old flame Charles Anderson in the street. Charles refers to Manpreet as "Saira", Manpreet must reveal her past to her family. She had an affair with Charles (he didn't realise it was an affair), however on the morning of the wedding she got cold feet and went back to Dennis and Aiesha. Even though Manpreet is happily married to Rishi, she still harbours feelings for Charles and he the same for her. Meena notices this spark and keeps trying to bring the pair together, this irks Manpreet as she insists that Rishi is the man she loves. Manpreet later finds out that Meena has been using a false phone number to text Charles' son Ethan, pretending to be his mother, Manpreet decides to tell Charles but when he tells her that the reappearance of Ethans "mother" has brought the father and son closer together, Manpreet decides to leave it insisting that Meena gets rid of the phone.
In October 2021, Manpreet and Charles' bond is stronger than ever and Charles' girlfriend Andrea Tate becomes jealous. After Andrea later dies in a maze fire, Manpreet gives Charles a shoulder to cry on, strengthening their relationship.
In December 2021, Charles agrees to a relationship with Manpreet built on the grounds of trust and honesty. Manpreet tells Meena that she is going to tell Charles about the texts, however, Meena gets to Charles first and tells him that they were by Manpreet, Charles decides he sees no chance of a relationship with Manpreet. Through the month the sisters relationship crumbles, however, they decide to spend Christmas Day together, Manpreet is horrified when she overhears Meena on the phone to social services to report Dawn Taylor and when she later finds Meena preparing to plant drugs in Dawn's house, Meena then threatens Manpreet with a broken bottle but before she can harm Manpreet, The Woolpack explodes, hospitalising both sisters. Meena prematurely discharges Manpreet from hospital and ties her to her bed in Dale View. Meena keeps Manpreet locked up for 2 weeks, regularly taunting her, giving her sleep medication to keep her sedated and even confessing to her in graphic detail the murders she has committed. In January 2022, Meena moves Manpreet to a barn and also abducts Vinny Dingle, Manpreet fills Vinny in on Meena's crimes, Meena plans to kill the pair with fumes from the Dingle's van, however she is stopped by Liam.
Manpreet then recuperates in hospital and reconciles with Charles, who invites her to move in with him. Manpreet is worried about the backlash she may face upon her return to the village. She mainly stays home, as she is scared of people's reactions after she had a bad encounter with Priya who blamed her for bringing Meena to the village.
In February 2022, Manpreet once again encounters Meena, this time she is being threatened on the bridge by Liam. When Liam pushes Meena off the bridge, Manpreet agrees to cover for him. Manpreet is shocked to discover that Charles has visited Meena in prison, she later goes to talk to Meena herself, Meena twists and threatens to tell the police that it was actually Manpreet who killed Andrea as she was jealous of Andrea's relationship with Charles.
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