EastEnders newcomer Shivani Ghai has revealed that she is thrilled to join the soap. The Newcastle-born Indian actress, who has appeared in Bride And Prejudice and House Of Saddam, is set to arrive in Albert Square in December as Ayesha Rana. "I've been watching EastEnders for years and am excited to be joining such an iconic show," she said. Shivani's alter-ego Ayesha, who is described as "sweet, studious, rather shy and naive", will head to Walford for an arranged marriage, the dying wish of her father, and turn to the Masoods' to ask them for help. Having lived a sheltered life, she has been left with an estranged mother and uncaring brothers, and producers revealed her time on the Square could encourage her to "find her voice". Shivani, who has also appeared in The Bill, Doctors and Spooks, was most recently seen on the big screen in Clean Skin opposite Sean Bean.
