By Liam de Brun

Copyright manchestereveningnews

Strictly Come Dancing is officially back for its 23rd series as the BBC prepares to welcome 15 new famous faces to the dancefloor. Once again, teaching the celebrities the art of dance are professional dancers who will be just as determined to win the series and get their hands on the Glitterball Trophy. Among those taking part this year is EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal, who plays Suki Panesar-Unwin on Albert Square. Arriving in Walford in 2019, fans quickly began shipping her romance with Heather Peace’s Eve Panesar-Unwin, who she eventually married following a turbulent few years. The couple had to overcome Suki’s evil ex-husband Nish Panesar, who was pushed off a building by Ravi Gulati on his mum’s wedding day. However, Suki was at the centre of a divisive storyline during the summer that saw her trying to convince her pregnant teenage grandchild Avani Nanda-Hart not to have an abortion. With her and Eve struggling to get back on the same page after she went behind her back, it remains to be seen if Suki can win back her trust. Speaking live from EastEnders set on ITV ’s morning current affairs programme Good Morning Britain last month, Balvinder assured fans that Suki won’t be taking a break from her ongoing storylines. “I’ll still be working here so I’ll be doing two jobs. I don’t know how I’m going to handle it. I don’t know what’s gonna happen but I’m looking forward to it,” she teased. Outside of her work on EastEnders, Balvinder has worked on a numer of the UK’s biggest soaps, appearing in Coronation Street throughout 2013 and again in 2017 as a police officer. Additionally, she’s played three separate characters in Emmerdale, beginning her time on the Dales as a solicitor in 2009 before playing two desperate police officers in 2017 and 2018. On top of playing a social worker named Liz in Hollyoaks in 2018, Balvinder popped up in season seven of Call The Midwife in 2018 as Mumtaz Gani. Away from her acting career, Balvinder shared the heartbreaking news last year that her beloved mum Nirmal passed away surrounded by her family. “27th February 2024, 11.30pm, mum passed peacefully, with dignity & grace, just as she’d lived her whole life. My sister & I had settled in for the night shift at the hospital. The lads had come, spent the day, & just as the last of them left… mum passed, with me & my sister holding her hands. “We walked mum as far as we could. It’s been hard, but I’ve never known strength like mums. I’m proud to be her daughter. As we told people, the one thing constant in people’s memory was Mums huge warm smile, her ability to adapt to change & show love & respect to all. “Our home was always open; a shelter from the rain whilst waiting for the bus. For pronthey & chaa. For all the children to come & chill after school. There was always food. Our home was busy, warm, & full of love because of mum,” she said at the time. She added: “A fierce supporter of all of her kids & grandkids mums unique ability to get through to us was second to none. She was our rock, friend, confidant, guiding light. “She was my No. 1 fan travelling up & down the country, with dad watching shows. Mum was an extraordinary teacher of life just by being & doing everything with love.” Balvinder’s fans were previously stunned to learn how similar she looks to her sister Manjeet Griffiths, with the pair two of four siblings who were raised in Kent. Manjeet has appeared in several films and television shows, including EastEnders and Holby City, and works as a producer for a production company in London. Sharing a snap of her and Manjeet in 2021, Balvinder branded her sister her ‘counsel, strength and power’. Despite working in London, Balvinder continues to live in her hometown of Gillingham. She previously told Kent Live: “I’m from Gillingham, just down the road from here. So I travel from Gillingham to Elstree. “Unless I’m working early morning, which is a seven o’clock start, then I’ll stay over because I’m not attacking the M25 at five in the morning!” Teasing what fans can expect from her on Strictly , she recently told the BBC: “Being on Strictly is a dream that I held on to, with no proof that it would ever happen. Working on EastEnders and being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is the stuff that dreams are made of. “I’m far too excited to put into words how I feel but I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom.” The full list of celebrities taking part in Strictly this year is Emmerdale ’s Lewis Cope, Gladiators’ Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, former Love Island winner Dani Dyer, Doctor Who’s Alex Kingston, Chelsea legend, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, YouTuber George Clarke, drag queen La Voix, rugby legend Chris Robshaw, model Ellie Goldstein, TV personality Thomas Skinner, former I’m A Celebrity winner Vicky Pattison, Neighbours’ Stefan Dennis, Lorraine’s Ross King and former footballer Karen Carney. Meanwhile, the line-up of professional dancers for Strictly 2025 was announced back in June – with reigning champion Dianne Buswell , Vito Coppola, Amy Dowden, Johannes Radebe, Karen Hauer, Jowita Przytal and Aljaz Skorjaned among those confirmed. They will be watched and scored by Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas, with presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman also returning.