EastEnders' Nina Wadia looks unrecognisable as she joins Midsomer Murders

Former EastEnders star Nina Wadia looks totally different in a new role on Midsomer Murders. The 55-year-old actress is known for her long-running role as Zainab Masood in the popular soap from 2007 to 2013, mother to four and wife of Masood Ahmed.

But Nina's latest role sees her swap the bustling Albert Square market for a rural setting as her character Medora Salt's seemingly quiet life as a pub owner is disrupted when someone in the village is murdered.

"The village of Blacktrees-on-Marsh not only sits in the very heart of Midsomer, but extraordinarily enough, it was once also listed on secret Cold War documents that detailed the places in England that Russia would target in the event of nuclear war," the synopsis for the show reads.

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"While the listing is more than likely a myth or a joke that someone cracked in The Huntsman's Horn, there are still some who are convinced of its truth... even plagued by it," reports the Mirror.

The 23rd series of Midsomer Murders starts on Sunday, April 14 on ITV1. Nina has hinted at a potential comeback to EastEnders after her departure.

Reflecting on her exit, she expressed her fondness for the time spent on the soap but mentioned her desire to switch back to comedy and "have a bit of a change" following a nearly six-year stint that saw her become a staple on the programme. She also discussed the challenges of securing different roles post-Zainab, sharing with the panel on ITV's Loose Women last June that she felt typecast, saying "no casting director would touch me" due to her long-term association with the soap.

In a candid interview with OK! magazine, the Citizen Khan actress confessed feeling "devastated" about leaving the show but acknowledged that "part of me needed to leave." Elaborating on her decision, the actress said: "I didn't suit being in the same character for that long and I was finding myself climbing the walls with just playing Zainab. They were kind to me on the show in that they didn't kill her off and I'm sure at one point I will return."

The 23rd series of Midsomer Murders starts on Sunday, April 14 on ITV1.