Casey Al-Shaqsy, who joined Emmerdale last month as newcomer Serena Sugden, has opened up about her recent weight loss and extensive West End background.
Weight Loss Revealed on Instagram
Casey took to Instagram to share a series of photos showing her in nude shorts, a lilac bralette, and a cropped striped jumper. In the post, she wrote: "I think in 2 months since watching my first eps… I think I’ve lost a bit of weight" accompanied by shocked emojis. The actress also sported a longer hairstyle in the snaps.
West End Career Before Emmerdale
Before joining the ITV soap, Casey was known for her stage work, including roles in Once on This Island (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Hamilton (UK Tour), Wicked (UK Tour), Six: The Musical (UK Tour), Bonnie & Clyde (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), and Rumi: The Musical (London Coliseum). Emmerdale marks one of her first television roles.
Character Debut and Suspicious Behaviour
Serena Sugden arrived in the village as a distant relative of the Sugden family, claiming to be homeless and jobless. She was taken in by Sarah Sugden and offered work at The Woolpack by Charity Dingle. However, Serena has recently been digging for information about her late serial killer cousin John Sugden and his victim Nate Robinson, sparking suspicion among villagers.
Speaking about joining the show, Casey said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining such an iconic show and playing a Sugden! Serena is a fantastic character with so much going on beneath the surface. I can’t wait for the audience to see the drama unfold."
Emmerdale continues on weeknights at 8pm on ITV and ITV X.
