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EastEnders star Aaron Thiara 'quits' soap after four years as bad boy Ravi Gulati

Aaron Thiara, who plays Ravi Gulati on EastEnders, has reportedly quit the long-running BBC soap after four years on the show so that he can focus on new projects

[EastEnders]

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Aaron Thiara has reportedly quit EastEnders after four years as Ravi Gulati(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)

Aaron Thiara has reportedly quit EastEnders. The actor, 33, has starred as Ravi Gulati on the long-running BBC soap since 2022 and has been at the centre of several dramatic storylines during that time.

Now, insiders have claimed that Aaron, who appeared in various short films and a string of Shakespeare plays before joining EastEnders, is leaving the programme for pastures new.

A source claimed: "Aaron has been at the centre of the some of the soaps biggest storylines since his arrival as bad-boy Ravi back in 2022. Hes an incredibly popular member of the cast and the fans love him.

[EastEnders]

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Ravi has had a dramatic relationship with Priya Nandra-Hart during his time on the soap(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Speaking to The Sun, the source went on to claim: Hes decided to focus on new projects, but will stay on set until the end of the year to see out some juicy storylines his character has in store."

Since he arrived in Walford three years ago, Ravi has discovered that his biological son of Nish Panesar and that he was the product of an affair. He then went on to kill Ranveer Gulati, the man he thought was his father, in an act of self-defence and was once in a love triangle with Denise Fox and Jack Branning.

The character is also known for his relationship with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy), with whom he has a son, Nugget and a daughter, Avani.

[Aaron Thiara ]

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Aaron won Villain of the Year at the British Soap Awards in 2023 for his portrayal of Ravi (Image: Jonathan Hordle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Just over a year ago, Ravi partnered with Nicola Mitchell to set up a drugs empire but six months later, she spiked his drink as an act of revenge and he ended up putting his son into a coma.

Much of 2026 has revolved around Ravi's mental health and PTSD, and, ahead of the storyline, Aaron pleaded with fans to "see the person" and "not the villain". Some fans had been struggling to be sympathetic towards the character following his actions towards Harry.

Aaron said that he hopes fans can look past Ravi's history amid his upcoming storyline, which EastEnders worked with mental health charity Samaritans on.

He said: "In these moments, I hope the audience can simply see a human being in crisis. Some may hold his history against him, but I hope people will see, not the villain, not the history, but the person underneath it all."

Aaron won Villain of the Year at the now-defunct British Soap Awards in 2023 and was also nominated for Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards around the same time. When he joined the programme a year earlier, he spoke of how thrilled he was to get the chance to be part of such a television staple.

He said: "My heart is filled with immense gratitude to be joining such an iconic show, working alongside a stellar cast and a remarkable production team. Its a very proud moment for me and my family. This is a wondrous opportunity to approach as an actor, and I cant wait for people to meet Ravi on screen and witness his roller-coaster of a journey!

A spokesperson for EastEnders declined to comment

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