Bharti Patel

Bharti Patel is an English actress, known for playing midwife Ruhma Carter on the BBC soap opera Doctors. For her portrayal of Ruhma, she was nominated for numerous awards at the National Television Awards, British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards. In 2024, she played Maya Houssain in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Career Patel made her professional acting debut as a shop assistant in an episode of the BBC drama series Screenplay. In 2003, she appeared as a dancer in the feature film What a Girl Wants. In 2012, she played Ursula and Verges in a production of Much Ado About Nothing at the World Shakespeare Festival. In 2015, Bharti began playing Ruhma Carter in the BBC soap opera Doctors. The next year, she was nominated for Best Newcomer at The British Soap Awards. In 2018, she appeared in an episode of the Hulu series Find Me in Paris as Mama Khan, and in 2019, she played Manju in the BBC Two sitcom Don't Forget the Driver. In 2024, Doctors was cancelled by the BBC and Patel remained in her role as Ruhma until its final episode. Later that year, she played Maya Houssain in fellow BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 Bhaji on the Beach Refuge woman Film 2003 What a Girl Wants Dancer Film 2013 Cursed Short film 2014 Honeycomb Lodge Rheeta Film 2019 Damage Sarita Short film 2023 Goldfish Laxmi Natrajan Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 Dear Manju Manju Television film 1991 Screenplay Shop assistant 1 episode 2001 The Residents Charan Singh 1 episode 2003 Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness Tennison's secretary 2 episodes 2015–2024 Doctors Ruhma Carter Regular role 2018 Find Me in Paris Mama Khan 1 episode 2019 Don't Forget the Driver Manju Recurring role; 3 episodes 2022 Ten Percent Amina Feirani 1 episode 2022 The Undeclared War Yasmin Parvin Recurring role 2024 EastEnders Maya Houssain Recurring role 2024 Storyland Fatima Episode: "I'm Yours"

Voice Year Title Role Notes 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025 The Archers Anita, Geraldine, Inspector Norris Various roles 2024 Torchwood: Monthly Range Passerby Episode: "Bad Connection"

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2016 The British Soap Awards Best Newcomer Doctors 2017 National Television Awards Newcomer Doctors 2017 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star Doctors 2018 Diversity in Media Awards Best Actor Doctors 2019 The British Soap Awards Best Actress Doctors 2019 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star Doctors 2020 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star Doctors 2020 RTS Midlands Awards Acting Performance – Female Doctors 2020 UK Festival Awards Best Ensemble (with co-stars) Damage 2021 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star Doctors