“EastEnders star Gurlaine Kaur Garcha is engaged after her fiance popped the question during a romantic getaway to Ibiza.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
The soap star, 31, who played Ash Panesar in the long-running BBC show, shared the news with her fans on Instagram on Wednesday.
Gurlaine showed off her huge dazzling diamond ring in the snap, were she was sat happily sipping a cocktail during the trip.
Alongside the photo, she wrote: ‘v happy & v engaged!!!!!!’
Gurlaine keeps her partner’s identity private and their relationship has blossomed out of the spotlight, but she did confirm the location of the proposal.
Her co-stars all sent their well-wishes, with her on-screen mother Balvinder Sopal, who plays Suki Panesar, writing: ‘Oh my days!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS BABY.’
Gurlaine arrived in Albert Square in 2019 as the first member of the Panesar family to move to Walford, before her mother Suki and brothers joined later.
Gurlaine was introduced as Iqra Ahmed’s bisexual Sikh girlfriend.
During her time on the show, Gurlaine’s character explored a range of hard-hitting storylines over her character’s sexuality.
And she briefly departed the soap previously after character Ash was injured in a homophobic attack from Neil Hughes’s (Thomas Coombes) hate group, before returning.
She took the break from the soap in 2022 and left EastEnders completely in 2023. During her time on the programme Ash endured family rifts as well as chaotic scenes a the hospital.
She often butted heads with mum Suki Kaur Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), who failed to accept her sexuality.
Ahead of the departure, Gurlaine signed with New York talent agency Framework Entertainment.
Sharing the news of her new venture to Instagram with a series of fresh headshots, she penned: ‘now represented by framework ent / excited for what’s to come.’
Back in 2021, Gurlaine revealed that she was left in tears after being subjected to a barrage of racist abuse.
Sharing a candid post to Instagram alongside an image with a ‘say no to racism’ caption, the star revealed: ‘Yesterday I was a victim to verbal racial abuse.
‘It came from nowhere, I wasn’t expecting it, and even though I know racism exists and I could always be victim to it, it was still deeply deeply shocking.
‘In a completely unprovoked attack, I was told by a woman to go back home, to return to wherever I’ve come from, and to stay there.
‘The initial shock was that someone was so comfortable to say this to me in public, not once but several times. it made me feel angry, sad, and embarrassed.
‘It upset me, and as a result of being upset I felt weak. I was ashamed that I wasn’t able to just brush it off and continue with my day as normal. Instead what followed were tears of sadness and frustration.
‘How can someone be allowed to say something so racially driven and then walk away? Why do I then have to deal with all the feelings that come with it?
‘Why do I have to tell myself to stay calm and not to retaliate? And why do I have to be the one left crying? It seems so unfair that i am judged by the colour of skin. ‘
Gurlaine explained she was particularly upset because she knows racism will go on to exist for years to come.