Category: 91Èȱ¬ ONE; Factual & Arts TV
Date: 23.07.2006
Printable version
Former EastEnder Nadia Sawalha will join Adrian Chiles as the co-presenter of 91Èȱ¬ ONE's new daily live magazine programme - The One Show.
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The One Show is launching later this summer and will feature a lively mix of interviews, factual features and topical stories.
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Nadia leapt to fame playing the tough, uncompromising Annie Palmer in the nation's favourite soap.
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The One Show Editor Chris Rybczynski said: "In real life Nadia could not be more different from the EastEnders character that made her famous.
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"We've chosen her to front The One Show because of her very warm, bubbly personality and ability to straddle both hard emotional issues, current affairs and entertainment."
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Nadia has worked hard to reach the top of her profession. After training at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, she began in theatre and took a series of TV roles in shows including Casualty and The Bill before EastEnders producers spotted her star quality and cast her as Annie Palmer.
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Since leaving EastEnders Nadia has become a popular face on 91Èȱ¬ ONE, appearing as a guest on Test the Nation and volunteering to help Comic Relief's fund-raising effort by signing up for Celebrity Driving School.
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Tessa Finch, Head of Cross Factual Production at the 91Èȱ¬, said: "Nadia is a great talent. She won many fans during her time starring in EastEnders where she was an extremely popular member of the cast.
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"Since leaving, Nadia has continued her highly successful acting career while developing a new role as a reporter and presenter.
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"She has a great passion for live broadcasting and her wide-ranging experience and brilliant sense of humour makes her the perfect on-screen partner for Adrian.
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"Like Adrian, she is one of the few TV faces who are equally confident in a factual and entertainment arena. They are really looking forward to working together."
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Nadia, 41, whose mother is English and father Arabic, comes from a successful thespian family.
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Both her father and sister - Julia Sawalha who gained fame playing Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous - are actors.
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Nadia says: "I'm really looking forward to working on this exciting new project with Adrian and the rest of The One Show team.
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"I love the excitement of live television - it gives me a real adrenalin rush and I'm a big fan of Adrian's- he's a highly intelligent and very witty man.
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"I think it's going to be lot of fun."
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Other popular 91Èȱ¬ faces signed up to work as reporters on The One Show include natural history presenter Kate Humble, history presenter Dan Snow and undercover journalist Anna Adams.
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