Meryl Glynis Fernandes (born 1983) is an English actress and presenter. She played Afia Khan, a love interest for Tamwar Masood (Himesh Patel) in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, originally making a guest appearance between 29 December 2009 and 5 January 2010. She returned to the role of Afia, on 18 November 2010, this time as a regular character. She departed EastEnders on 7 June 2012.
Personal life Born in 1983 to Harold and Ghislaine Fernandes, Meryl was brought up in London and went to Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green. Her parents, of Indian Goan ancestry, were originally from Nairobi. Fernandes trained at Millennium Performing Arts in 2000. She is skilled in several types of dance and has kissed Tom Hardy in a play.
Career Other than appearing in EastEnders, Fernandes has appeared Doctor Who, Demons, Minder alongside fellow EastEnders actor, Shane Richie, It's Now or Never, Clone and Dis/Connected. She has also appeared in the highly criticised YouTube series, Living With the Infidels playing 'Jot'. In stage she has appeared in The Lion of Punjab in 2006 and A Small Town Anywhere directed in 2007. 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. She has also appeared in a film, Ashes where she appeared as the lead role, Amisha, in 2012.
Filmography Television 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 Afia Masood 110 episodes 2016 World of Weird Presenter 2018 Ackley Bridge Maryam Quereshi 2 episodes 2019–2023 The Dengineers Presenter
Film Year Title Role Notes 2009 Living with the Infidels Jot Main Role 2010 Ashes Amisha
Theatre 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
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