Shelley King | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 September 1955 Calcutta, India |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Coombe Girls School, New Malden, Surrey |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Television | Angels Coronation Street |
| Partner | Trilby James [1] |
| Website | www |
Shelley King (born 25 September 1955) is a British actress, known for her roles as Jay Harper on the BBC drama series Angels and Yasmeen Nazir on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street .
King was born in Calcutta, India in 1955 to Kelly King, a photographer in India and the UK. She grew up in New Malden, Surrey, and attended Coombe Girls School. In April 2018, during an interview on ITV's This Morning , King opened up about being a lesbian and discussed her own struggles and difficulties which she had with her own sexuality. [2] While appearing in Angels , King was in her mid–20s, and producers of Angels wanted to make her character gay, but due to struggling with her own sexuality, she declined. [3] She also revealed that at that time, she was turned away from entering a lesbian club due to them not believing that she was gay. [3] King is in a civil partnership with Trilby James. [4] In 2023, she announced she was being tested for autism, [5] and subsequently confirmed she had been diagnosed the following year. [6]
King made her television debut in the BBC drama series Angels as Jay Harper in 1975. [7] She remained in the series until 1980, after which she appeared in various British television series including The Jewel in the Crown , Tandoori Nights , King of the Ghetto and The Demon Headmaster . [8] In 2010, she appeared as Nakuru Kapur, in an episode of The Bill, titled, “Intervention”..Then in 2014, King made her debut appearance as Yasmeen Nazir in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street . [9] Her character began featuring in a high-profile coercive control storyline from May 2019 with her on-screen husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew). [10] It was announced in January 2025 that King had quit her role as Yasmeen, with her final scenes set to air later in the year. [11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–1980 | Angels | Jay Harper | Main role |
| 1984 | The Jewel in the Crown | Hospital Receptionist | Episode: "Daughters of the Regiment" |
| 1985–1987 | Tandoori Nights | Bubbly Sharma | 12 episodes |
| 1986 | King of the Ghetto | Nasreen | Main role |
| Casualty | Rama Patel | Episode: "Teeny Poppers" | |
| 1987 | Brookside | Mrs Patel | 1 episode |
| 1988 | Rockliffe's Babies | Ruth Cellan | Episode: "Looking After Your Own" |
| Wipe Out | Dr. Kumar | Episode #1.2 | |
| South of the Border | Aisha Dillon | Episode #1.8 | |
| 1992, 2007, 2010 | The Bill | Mrs. Winton; Akhtar Dewan; Nalira Kapur | 4 episodes |
| 1996 | A Secret Slave | Kuman | Television film |
| The Demon Headmaster | Hospital Doctor | Recurring role | |
| 1998 | Where the Heart Is | Dr. Bell | Episode: "Ice Pops" |
| 1999 | See How They Run | Nina Pagetter | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Code 46 | William's Boss | Film |
| 2003, 2007 | Silent Witness | Suchvinder Juttla; Professor Jyoti Ibrahim | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | Twisted Tales | Larissa | Episode: "The Magister" |
| 2006 | Banglatown Banquet | Nazreen | Television film |
| 2008 | Holby City | Fadwar Kermani | Episode: "Separate Lives" |
| 2012 | All in Good Time | Auntie Laxmi | Film |
| 2013 | EastEnders | Mrs. Kayani | Episode dated: 1 January 2013 |
| Atlantis | Celandine | Episode: "A Girl by Any Other Name" | |
| 2014–2025 | Coronation Street | Yasmeen Nazir | Regular role |
| 2016 | One Crazy Thing | Mum Veer | Film |