Zainab Khan

Name: Zainab Khan
First Appeared: 16th July 2007
Last Appeared: 8th February 2013
Played by: Nina Wadia

Zainab Khan, née Masood, was the queen of drama in Walford, and her arrival was nothing short of spectacular. She burst onto the scene as the new owner of the Post Office, immediately locking horns with Denise Wicks. Their initial clash was legendary, but they eventually became friends. However, the Post Office was sinking in debt faster than a lead balloon. Desperate, Zainab turned to her brother-in-law, Inzamam, for a loan, but his sleazy proposition disgusted her. Masood, ever the knight in shining armour, banished Inzamam from their lives. Despite their best efforts, the Post Office closed, and the Masoods pivoted to a catering business. With Ian Beale’s investment, “Masala Queen” was born, and Zainab was crowned manager. But when money went missing, Zainab suspected Masood, only to discover Tamwar had lent it to his brother, Syed. Family drama ensued, but Zainab’s determination to keep the family together was unwavering.

Zainab’s life was a rollercoaster of emotions, especially when it came to her children. She planned an extravagant wedding for Syed, only to discover his affair with Christian Clarke. Furious, she ordered Syed to marry Amira Shah anyway, but the truth eventually came out, leading to a family meltdown. Zainab’s relationship with Masood hit rock bottom, and he threw her out when he learned she knew about Syed’s affair all along. They reconciled but cut ties with Syed, unable to accept his relationship with Christian. Just when things seemed to settle, Tamwar’s romance with Afia Khan brought Zainab’s ex-husband, Yusef, back into her life. Yusef’s manipulations and violence pushed Zainab to the brink, but she fought back, ultimately escaping his clutches in a dramatic showdown that left Tamwar scarred and Yusef dead.

Zainab’s resilience was tested time and again, especially when she took money from her children’s trust funds to help Syed, only for him to lose the family restaurant. Masood, fed up with the lies, asked her to leave. But Zainab was nothing if not persistent. She returned, and they reconciled, setting a new wedding date. Her meddling ways continued, trying to set up Ayesha Rana with Tamwar, but Ayesha had eyes for Masood. Zainab’s antics, including buying an expensive water feature to impress the neighbours, led to more chaos. When the feature was sabotaged, Masood’s frustration boiled over, and he called off their wedding. Zainab admitted her faults, and she and Kamil left for Pakistan.