| Meryl Fernandes | |
| Birth Name: | Meryl Glynis Fernandes |
| Birth Place: | Tower Hamlets, London, England |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Actress and presenter |
| Yearsactive: | 1993–present |
Meryl Glynis Fernandes (born 1983)[1] is an English actress and presenter. She played Afia Masood, a love interest for Tamwar Masood (Himesh Patel) in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, originally making a guest appearance between 29 December 2009[2] and 5 January 2010.[3] She returned to the role of Afia, on 18 November 2010, this time as a regular character.[4] She departed EastEnders on 7 June 2012.[5] [6]
Born in 1983 to Harold and Ghislaine Fernandes, Meryl was brought up in London and went to Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green.[7] Her parents, of Indian Goan ancestry, were originally from Nairobi.[7] Fernandes trained at Millennium Performing Arts in 2000. She is skilled in several types of dance and has kissed Tom Hardy in a play.[8]
Other than appearing in EastEnders, Fernandes has appeared Doctor Who, Demons, Minder alongside fellow EastEnders actor, Shane Richie,[9] It's Now or Never, Clone and Dis/Connected.[8] She has also appeared in the highly criticised YouTube series, Living With the Infidels playing 'Jot'.[8] [10] In stage she has appeared in The Lion of Punjab in 2006 and A Small Town Anywhere directed in 2007.[8] In musicals she has appeared in Oliver! as a 'Workhouse Girl', in 1996 and sung in Il mondo della luna at the Royal Academy of Music in 2003.[8] She has also appeared in a film, Ashes where she appeared as the lead role, Amisha, in 2012.[8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | EastEnders | Schoolgirl | 1 episode | |
| 1995 | A Small Addition | |||
| 2006 | It's Now or Never | Flower Girl | ||
| 2007 | Dis/Connected | Sara | ||
| 2008 | Doctor Who | Head Girl | ||
| 2009 | Demons | Amber Selway | ||
| 2008 | Clone | Jasmine | ||
| 2009 | Minder | Roxy | ||
| 2009–2012 | EastEnders | 110 episodes | ||
| 2016 | World of Weird | Presenter | ||
| 2018 | Ackley Bridge | 2 episodes | ||
| 2019 - present | The Dengineers | Presenter |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Living with the Infidels | Jot | Main Role |
| 2010 | Ashes | Amisha |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Oliver! | Workhouse Girl | Musical |
| 2003 | Sleeping Beauty | Sleeping Beauty | Stage |
| 2003 | Il Mondo Della Luna | Moon Dancer | Opera |
| 2005 | The Far Pavilions | Anjuli | Musical |
| 2006 | The Lion of Punjab | Jindan | Stage |
| 2007 | Who Asked You? | Deborah Smith | |
| 2007 | A Small Town Anywhere | The Samaritan | |
| 2007 | A Matter of Life and Death | Clerk/Nurse | |
| 2007 | The Man of Mode | Harriet |