I’ve had fling with Emmerdale co-star and I’d do it again
Soap beauty on why she prefers dating showbiz types
Sultry ... Emmerdale beauty Fiona Wade
Dan Charity
Last Updated: 17th May 2013
EMMERDALE beauty Fiona Wade knows all about mixing business with pleasure – after getting up close and personal with several of her co-stars.
The 34-year-old, who plays sultry barmaid Priya Sharma, had a secret romance with a theatre star before embarking on a passionate fling with an actor when she joined the ITV soap.But don’t expect Fiona to kiss and tell — she refuses to reveal their names.
Despite the potential pitfalls of dating someone from work, she wouldn’t rule out romancing a colleague in the future.
In fact, she is wary of dating men who are NOT in showbusiness.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Fiona says: “It’s all about work and meeting people at work really. They are the ones I date.
“I’m wary of going out with random men I meet because they either treat you as a trophy or they already have an opinion of what you’re like.
“One guy I knew, who I thought might want to date me, even said, ‘I thought you’d be more like Priya’. I was like, ‘This is over, right now!’
“But guys who are in the business get it.
“I have dated co-stars, because you do — that’s how you meet people, you work with them 24/7.
“I went out with a guy I worked with in the theatre for a while. Then I dated an actor in the Emmerdale cast after I joined the show.
“We were both single at the time and got on really well, but it didn’t work out. Everything is fine now though, we are still friends.”
Sheer class ... Fiona Wade shows off her figure
Dan Charity
Fiona, who is from Enfield, in north London, adds: “I would date a co-star again. I’d never say never because it could be right.
“There are people working on Emmerdale who are dating and they are lovely together.
“But I would have to be sure it was the right thing, because if it doesn’t work out it is incredibly difficult to work with that person.
“It’s the hardest thing if you break up with someone and have to see them every day.”
That is not something that would bother her feisty character Priya, who does exactly what she wants, when she wants.
In tonight’s episode, Priya is stunned when David Metcalfe (played by Matthew Wolfenden) pops the question again.
The shock proposal comes after the pair were caught up in a love triangle with David’s ex-girlfriend, ex-con Alicia (Natalie Anderson).
It is just one of the gripping storylines that is making Emmerdale must-see television.
This week it trounced ailing EastEnders as the rival soaps went head to head on Tuesday night.
Official viewing figures show a peak audience of just 5.2million viewers tuned in to the goings-on in Albert Square — an hour-long Emmerdale special stormed ahead with 7.5million.
EastEnders’ bosses blamed Tuesday’s poor figures, their lowest ratings so far this year, on ITV, accusing them of dirty tricks by overlapping the schedules.
Doting ... Fiona with her on-screen father Rishi
ITV
An insider said: “A lot of soap fans like watching EastEnders, Corrie and Emmerdale, but if Emmerdale starts at 7pm and is on for an hour, it’s unlikely viewers will switch over halfway.”
The ratings triumph is great news for the Emmerdale stars in the competitive world of soaps.
Fiona turned down the chance to extend a brief cameo role in Coronation Street — she had two appearances as an Underworld client — to take the part of Priya.
Priya might soon be flashing a dazzling engagement ring while pulling pints in the Woolpack, but Fiona herself has so far been unlucky in love.
Candidly, she reveals a series of long-term relationships have ended in disaster, she has been cheated on at least twice, and has NEVER been in a serious relationship with a man who has been honest with her.
Fiona says: “I have had my heart broken and I have been cheated on. One boyfriend admitted it and another didn’t — but I know. As a woman, I think you can feel it if your guy is interested in someone else. But then when you’re in love, or lust, you see what you want to see.
“When you fall for someone the veil comes down quickly. You fail to see all these things about them because you’re so enamoured.
“When I fall in love I’m a very all-or-nothing person. I’m very passionate and I give a lot and I mean every word I say. It’s taken me a long time to learn that not everyone is like that.
“I’ve learnt to look at people’s actions rather than their words. Because people can say the world to you, but if they are doing something different then what they say doesn’t mean anything.” She adds: “There is a fine line when it comes to cheating. Someone doesn’t have to be unfaithful, they could have just got attached to someone else.
“I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been cheated on. But I have never been in a serious relationship where the other person has been honest with me.
“When someone cheats on you it is awful. I would rather cut off both my arms than cheat on someone because I couldn’t live with the guilt.
“The worst thing anyone could ever do to me is not being honest about their feelings — turning around and saying, ‘Actually, I don’t want this’. That’s always been my biggest hurt.”
Hitting out ... Priya slaps David in the soap
ITV
Fiona reckons all that heartache has only made her stronger — and she is still hopeful of finding Mr Right. She says: “I’m a happy, positive person and I trust before I mistrust. I give you a chance and if you let me down, you let me down. But I’m not bitter, I don’t ever want to be like that.
“The only regrets I have are not acting sooner to save myself a lot of heartache. I should have trusted myself instead of other people.
“It’s only afterwards you look back and think, ‘Wow, how did I not stop this on the very first day?’
“But those bad situations have just made me clearer about what I want — someone who is comfortable with themselves and mature enough to cope with a relationship.
“I want someone who is at the stage in life where they aren’t so wrapped up in themselves, someone who is trustworthy, honest, kind, fun, loving and open.”
Smiling, she adds: “If only I was more like Priya in relationships.
“She doesn’t take any cr*p from anyone and will go after the guy she wants.
“I am a confident girl, especially in my career, but with guys it can be different.
“I’m not as forward as Priya is, or as much of a party girl.
“I am fun but I’m a bit more serious than she is where relationships are concerned.
“I am dating at the moment, but there’s no one special.
“That’s OK, though. I have great people around me, a great job and a great life. I’m very lucky and I know I have it all to come.”
Wade's world
SOAP babe Fiona has a career on both sides of the Atlantic.Stateside she played Anya Vicenze in the TV hit 24Seven.
Here her TV credits include Grange Hill, Holby City, Doctors, Where The Heart Is, Waterloo Road, Silent Witness and Tracy Beaker Returns.
She trod the boards in Miss Saigon, here and in Sweden, and was the leading lady in stage productions of Romeo And Juliet, West Side Story and Strictly Dandia– a sort of Indian Strictly Ballroom.
She made her first appearance in Emmerdale in November 2011, taking over the role of fiery Priya, sister of Jai and Nikhil.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/4930773/emmerdale-fiona-wade-dating.html#ixzz2Tb78I5Sb