Afia Masood

Name: Afia Masood
First Appeared: 19th December 2009
Last Appeared: 7th June 2012
Played by: Meryl Fernandes

Afia Masood made her entrance in Walford in December 2009, with her friend Zulekha Abbasi at Syed Masood and Amira Shah’s Mehndi celebration. Initially, Syed’s brother Tamwar thought he was getting Zulekha’s number, but was surprised when Afia showed up instead. She found Tamwar’s “geek chic” vibe endearing. Tamwar, attempting to impress her, falsely claimed to be an Oxford student. Once Afia discovered the truth, she found it amusing, but Tamwar didn’t, and their budding relationship ended as Afia felt he took himself too seriously.

After a hiatus, during which Afia’s mother passed away, she reconnected with Tamwar, and they began dating again. This time, the relationship was tested when Tamwar met Afia’s father, Yusef, who turned out to be Zainab’s ex-husband. The shocking family history revealed that Yusef’s family had set Zainab on fire in Pakistan. Despite Zainab and Masood’s initial objections, they eventually allowed the relationship, and Zainab even grew fond of Afia.

In classic EastEnders drama, Afia and Tamwar secretly married the night before their engagement party, stunning their family with the news. Meanwhile, Zainab’s complicated relationship with Yusef reignited, much to Masood’s dismay. Afia learned Yusef was indeed behind the fire that burnt Zainab but kept it from Tamwar, later demanding Yusef confess to Zainab. When Yusef’s abusive nature became public, Afia urged him to leave, leading to a tragic fire at the B&B. In the chaos, Yusef died, but not before Tamwar had rushed inside. Tamwar escaped with scars, deepening the family rift.

Afia’s grief over her father and her strained relationship with Tamwar worsened when he refused to see her in the hospital and criticized her plan to use Yusef’s money for plastic surgery. Tamwar’s resentment and Zainab’s revelation about her role in Yusef’s death further complicated matters. Although Afia forgave Zainab, the ongoing strain of running the family restaurant and Zainab’s interference strained her marriage with Tamwar. When Tamwar suggested starting a family, hoping it would bring stability, Afia proposed they travel instead. Realizing they wanted different things, Afia decided it was best to leave Walford.