Soap star Rebecca Sarker believes her TV role as career girl Nita Desai has been an inspiration for Asian girls in Bradford.

The actress, a former pupil at Bradford Girls' Grammar, has announced she will be leaving top soap Coronation Street this spring.

Rebecca, 24, is best known to millions as the corner shop girl Nita who shot up the career ladder to a top job at the soap's supermarket chain of Freshco's.

"Nita is very ambitious and very positive and it will be her career that takes her away from Coronation Street," she said.

Rebecca arrived with screen dad Ravi and wide-boy brother Vikram in a fanfare of publicity as the first Asian family in the show's 39-year history.

The family ran the corner shop and soon Nita's eagerness and to get on found her securing a 'suit' job at the local supermarket.

"She's a great role model for young Asian girls, and for women. She's proof that you can get on and achieve what you want," added Rebecca.

She said she didn't do any research in a corner shop but as a student she worked in a branch of Marks and Spencer.

"It was clear that she wasn't happy in the corner shop and she proved to her dad and brother that she was capable of better things," she said.

"I believe the Desai family is a fair representation of an Asian family. Race issues are very complex and it's not one for me to speak about."

Rebecca, of Halifax, returned to her Bradford school in December last year to bury a time capsule.

"It was lovely to come back to Bradford. And I suppose I'm proof to girls there that Bradford Girls' Grammar can turn out success stories," she said. "I give my love to everyone in Bradford."

She added that internationally acclaimed film actor Saeed Jaffrey, who played her screen dad Ravi, was a charming man to work with.

"He's such a lovely man and ever so helpful.

"The good thing about Coronation Street is being able to work alongside a team of wonderful people," she said.

"Saeed is very sweet to me and even though he's not been filming for a while he has phoned to see how I'm getting on."

Rebecca is filming until the end of April and will leave the Street in June.

She will be returning to London and plans to have a go at theatre and perhaps films.

"But the door of Coronation Street has not closed. So maybe Nita will be back," she added.

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