Emmerdale star returns to soap after ditching the UK

A much-loved Emmerdale star has confirmed she is "back" at the ITV soap after ditching the UK earlier this summer. Rebecca Sarker has played Manpreet Sharma in the long-running serial drama since 2018.

In that time, Manpreet has been at the centre of some huge storylines, including her spending addiction, and her ill-fated marriage to Rishi Sharma. She was also kidnapped by her own sister, evil serial killer Meena, during the latter's campaign of terror on the fictional Yorkshire village.

As viewers will know Meena, who worked as a nurse, killed at least five people, including her own father, her former best friend Nadine Butler and Emmerdale residents Leanna Cavanagh, Andrea Tate and Ben Tucker. After Meena was arrested, Manpreet became a recluse, terrified people would blame her for bringing Meena to the village in the first place.

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Thankfully for actress Rebecca, her life off-camera seems a much more peaceful one, and the actress has just enjoyed a break abroad. In recent weeks, Rebecca has shared a number of photos of herself in an idyllic location as she soaked up some sunshine.

And on Friday, she shared what appeared to be the last of her holiday snaps on social media, with the star posing in a white bikini, and declared: "BACK [heart emoji] ... to reality, to work, to wearing clothes [laughing emoji]". Sharing the post on her Instagram Story she added: "I'm ready... kinda" [sic]

Manpreet was last seen on Emmerdale on Friday, August 23. It is not yet known how actress Rebecca's break will be explained on screen, with the soap filmed some weeks in advance.

Emmerdale continues on ITV and ITVX.