Emmerdale's Paige Sandhu reveals she battled anxiety before playing Meena Jutla

Emmerdale star Paige Sandhu has admitted she struggled with anxiety before landing the role of killer nurse Meena Jutla.

The actress, who joined the soap in September 2020, revealed she struggled to find work for three years which left her battling with insomnia, before turning to self-help books to help her ‘focus on the positive.’ 

Paige added that bosses even rang her twice to check she still wanted the part after she discovered that Meena would actually become one of the village’s most prolific murderers.

Candid: Emmerdale star Paige Sandhu has admitted she struggled with anxiety before landing the role of killer nurse Meena Jutla (pictured in character)

Speaking to The Mirror, Paige said: ‘When I left drama school I was a very anxious person. I wasn’t getting any jobs and I was struggling.

‘The anxiety took the form of insomnia. Life was hard and a struggle.’

The actress said she turned to turned to tapping therapy, or Emotional Freedom Technique, to help her to overcome her anxiety, and she’s ‘trained her brain to focus on the positive’ by reading self-help books.  

Battles: The actress revealed she struggled to find work for three years which left her battling with insomnia, before turning to self-help books to help her ‘focus on the positives’

Before being offered the role of Meena, Paige had only appeared in an episode of Endeavour and two of Doctors, and the actress was told by bosses she had to keep Meena’s true nature a secret from her co-stars.

She added: ‘She has no empathy for anyone. If killing again was the best way for her she would do it in the blink of an eye. She’s only just begun her reign of terror in the village and she could certainly kill again.’

Since arriving in the village, and sparking up a romance with David Metcalfe, Meena’s murderous ways have left viewers gripped, with the villain killing teen Leanna Cavanagh to hide her killer past.

Terrifying: Since arriving in the village, and sparking up a romance with David Metcalfe, Meena’s murderous ways have left viewers gripped

Now she’s set her sights on Victoria Sugden after learning of her illicit kiss with David, with fans fearing for her life after Meena convinced her to join their pals for a girls trip.

To help prepare for the role, Meena spent hours watching Killing Eve, Killer Women with Piers Morgan and films such as American Psycho and Nightcrawler, and said she found it ‘really helpful’ to understand the character.

While Meena’s killer behaviour has shocked viewers, Paige said she’s received many positive messages from fans on social media.  

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7pm on ITV. An extra episode airs on Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm.

Praised: While Meena’s killer behaviour has shocked viewers, Paige said she’s received many positive messages from fans on social media