EastEnders Habiba Ahmed unrecognisable four years after BBC soap exit

It's been four years since she left Albert Square for good, and actress Rukku Nahar now looks worlds away from her time on EastEnders. The former soap star portrayed Habiba Ahmed in the BBC One soap from February 2019 until October 2020.

Habiba left Walford after her boyfriend Jags Panesar was arrested and jailed. It was later confirmed Habiba was pregnant with Jags' child and she gave birth off-screen to a baby boy, with her sister Iqra (Priya Davdra) confirming the news before she exited Walford herself.

Habiba has rarely been mentioned since she left Albert Square, with her immediate family - the Masoods - now no longer living in London either. However, over recent weeks the character she been brought up by Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) as he decided to contact her about seeing his grandson in a bid to impress ex-wife Suki (Balvinder Sopal).

Despite Habiba being mentioned and her son paying a visit to Walford, it is not believed that the character will be returning to EastEnders anytime in the near future. Actress Rukku, 28, went on to star in BBC series Flatmates after the soap exit, as well as ITV series The Good Karma Hospital.

She also appeared in 2023 film The Buckingham Hospital as character Harleen, and the short film Blame in 2021. The actress has also amassed a huge social media following since exiting EastEnders, and now boasts over 60,000 followers on Instagram.

Rukku's Instagram profile is filled with glamorous photographs of her living life in London with her pals, including snaps from sunny picnics and nights out. She looks to regularly jet off on holiday and is still pals with former on-screen sister Priya.

Rukku's exit from EastEnders wasn't announced when her final scenes aired in October 2020. She confirmed her departure on Instagram and thanked the BBC soap for teaching her "so much" before saying she was "grateful" for the friendships she'd made during her time playing Habiba.

EastEnders fans have recently pleaded for Habiba to make a return to Walford after her son Tye made an unexpected visit to see his grandparents Suki and Nish despite past differences with Habiba. Writing on social media, one person said: "Where's Habiba? The grandson came alone?"

"Tye is back in Walford. I wish Habiba came back with him," another said. A third EE fan added: "Suki and Tye are so cute. It's just a shame that Habiba didn't come back to Walford."