Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has been embroiled in a bitter fall out with her sisterCredit: Rex

When two sisters both grow up in the spotlight, rivalry is almost inevitable.
But the bitter feud between Nadia Sawalha and her famous actress sister Julia Sawalha goes far beyond simple sibling tension.

The TV star hasn’t spoken to her actress sister Julia since 2019Credit: Getty – Contributor

Their fallout has been so deep, so emotionally charged, that the sisters have not spoken for seven years — despite repeated attempts at reconciliation in the past.

Raised in Croydon, South London, alongside older sister Dina, Nadia and Julia grew up in a creative household headed by their Jordanian-born actor father Nadim Sawalha and their mother Roberta.

The pair have both been vocal about their issues with each other over the yearsCredit: Getty

From an early age, the sisters’ paths — and personalities — diverged.

Childhood jealousy that never fully faded

Julia entered the television world first, landing her debut role at just 14 in 1982. A decade later, she secured what would become the role of a lifetime: Saffy, the sharp-tongued daughter in the iconic comedy Absolutely Fabulous.

Nadia Sawalha, Julia Sawalha, and their father Nadim Sawalha posing together on a blue sofa. 10 Julia and Nadia with their actor dad, Nadim SawalhaCredit: BBC

Nadia, by contrast, did not find mainstream fame until her 30s, when she joined EastEnders in 1997.

Despite both women carving out successful careers, tension simmered beneath the surface — rooted, according to both sisters, in their childhood.

Julia found a huge amount of fame in Ab Fab alongside Jennifer Saunders and Joanna LumleyCredit: Alamy

Nadia has openly spoken about feeling displaced after Julia’s birth, revealing that at just four years old she was sent to live with her grandmother.

Speaking on Loose Women, she recalled feeling jealous of the bond Julia appeared to share with their parents.

“When my mum had Julia, I was so excited,” Nadia said.
“But she was postnatal and frightened, and I was sent away. Julia was beautiful — everyone adored her.”

She added that Julia quickly became “Daddy’s little girl,” deepening feelings of rivalry.

Julia, for her part, has also acknowledged the emotional complexity of their upbringing.

Julia helped Nadia get into acting – but tension grewCredit: Rex Features

In a 2007 interview, she admitted the sisters shared an “intense” relationship — sometimes loving, sometimes distant.

“I desperately wanted Nadia’s approval,” Julia said.
“But as the years went on, I got tired of being bossed around.”

Fame, favouritism — and feeling overshadowed

Although Julia later helped Nadia break into acting by introducing her to her own agent, the move did not ease tensions.

Nadia admitted she felt that she was living in her little sister’s shadow when she landed the role of Annie Palmer in EastEndersCredit: BBC

Nadia has admitted that even after landing a major role in EastEnders, she felt trapped in her younger sister’s shadow.

“When I joined the show, everyone called me Julia,” she once said.
“It made me feel insecure.”

Julia later admitted their brief period living together ended badly, following arguments over space, independence and control.

“She always made me feel like a child,” Julia said.
“She left — and again we stopped speaking.”

Men, misunderstandings and explosive fallouts

Nadia didn’t get on with Julia’s boyfriend, Alan DaviesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

By the late 1990s, as Julia’s fame soared internationally, the sisters suffered another major rupture — this time over relationships.

When Julia was dating actor Alan Davies, Nadia publicly criticised him after he complained about wedding photos appearing in magazines.

“For a comedian, he’s a miserable git,” Nadia said at the time.

The sisters reconciled in 2016 – but this was short-livedCredit: Alamy

The comments triggered a two-year silence between the sisters, only broken after Julia and Alan separated in 2004.

Nadia later admitted:
“The culprit has always been men.”

A brief reunion — and then the final rupture

After years of distance, the sisters reunited briefly in 2016 during a visit to their mother.

‘Loose Women’ TV show, London, UK – 29 Jan 2026 10 Nadia’s revelations about her relastionship with Julia infuriated her sisterCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Julia described the emotional moment they reconnected, hugging on the doorstep and admitting how much they missed one another.

But the peace was short-lived.

In 2019, the relationship collapsed once again — this time seemingly beyond repair.

The breaking point came when Nadia spoke openly on Loose Women about her on-off relationship with Julia, describing it as “stormy” and emotionally intense.

Julia reacted furiously.

Taking to social media, she accused her sister of lying, seeking attention, and — most devastatingly — “destroying” their family.

“I’ve kept my privacy for six years to protect my family,” Julia wrote.
“While she talks lies and rubbish on TV with fake tears.”

The public outburst marked the final fracture — and since then, the sisters have remained estranged.

Seven years of silence — and no sign of peace

Today, insiders say there has been no meaningful communication between Nadia and Julia for seven years.

Despite shared history, shared parents and shared fame, the rift appears unresolved — and deeply personal.

Both sisters have continued their careers separately, rarely mentioning one another publicly.

For fans, the feud remains one of British television’s most painful family fallouts — a reminder that fame cannot mend old wounds, and that sometimes, even blood ties are not enough.