Emmerdale star Rebecca Sarker has given fans a glimpse of her relaxed Christmas break, looking a world away from her on-screen character Manpreet Sharma. The 50-year-old actress shared a cosy snap with her followers after enjoying a day of outdoor cycling during the festive period.
A Cosy Contrast to the Dales
In the tasteful photograph, posted to her main Instagram grid, Rebecca posed in elegant lace pyjamas, her hair draped over one shoulder as she offered a coy smile away from the camera. The image presented a stark contrast to her usual appearances in the Yorkshire Dales or in lycra cycling gear.
She captioned the post: "Ditched the bib shorts. Back in the pjs. #christmascheer #warm #cosy," adding a no-cycling sign emoji and a smiling face. The post came shortly after she shared another series of pictures showing her wrapped up for a winter bike ride in pale sunshine.
Fan Adoration and Growing Confidence
The intimate snap quickly amassed thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from admirers, who were quick to compliment the ITV star on her look. This display of confidence online is something Rebecca has cultivated in recent years, partly thanks to encouragement from her husband.
She previously revealed to The Sun how her spouse boosted her self-assurance. "A few years ago I had been doing some stunt scenes for Emmerdale wearing Lycra pants and a sports bra," Rebecca explained. "I sent a picture of me to my husband as I'd been doing some working out and I thought I looked quite good."
"He said, 'Post it on Instagram'. My immediate reaction was, 'No, no, I can't post that'. But after checking with the production team asking if it was too outrageous, I was assured it wasn't." However, she has assured fans she would never share explicit content on platforms like OnlyFans, a storyline her character Manpreet once pursued.
Life Changed by Emmerdale
Rebecca Sarker, who has played practice manager Manpreet Sharma on the iconic soap since 2018, credits the show with significantly changing her life. Speaking back in 2022, during Emmerdale's 50th-anniversary celebrations, she highlighted the stability and opportunities it has provided.
"Of course it has, not least because it gives me an opportunity to wear some fantastic dresses on a red carpet every so often," she gushed. "Being a regular in Emmerdale has given me the opportunity to set down some roots, professionally speaking and it’s given me some stability which is hard to come by in this profession."
The actress also fondly recalled a hilarious on-set blunder that broke the tension during a serious scene. The moment involved co-stars Kevin Mathurin (Charles Anderson), Emile John (Ethan Anderson), and the late Bhasker Patel (Rishi Sharma).
"We were in the village, on the high street and there was a showdown... It was very heightened, highly charged and emotional and Bhasker was holding a car key in his hand," Rebecca remembered. "During one of my moving, tearful monologues, he accidently clicked the unlock button on the car and it kept going off again and again. It made me laugh so much."
From dramatic village showdowns to serene Christmas cycles and cosy pyjama moments, Rebecca Sarker continues to captivate both Emmerdale viewers and her dedicated social media followers with her relatable and glamorous off-screen life.
