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Inside Masked Singer's Julia Sawalha and Loose Women's Nadia's family feud

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Julia helped Nadia get into acting - nowadays they don
Julia helped Nadia get into acting - nowadays they don't follow each other on social media

NADIA Sawalha's sister Julia has made her TV comeback on The Masked Singer and ITV drama Vera - reminding fans of the siblings' bitter feud that has spilled into the public eye over the years.

One is known for sharing her private life on Loose Women, and regularly pours out her heart on the popular ITV daytime show.

The Masked Singer's Bubble Tea has been unmasked as Julia Sawalha eiqrridezikeprw
The Masked Singer's Bubble Tea has been unmasked as Julia SawalhaCredit: ITV
Her sister Nadia Sawalha is known for pouring her heart out on ITV's Loose Women
Her sister Nadia Sawalha is known for pouring her heart out on ITV's Loose WomenCredit: Rex
Julia helped Nadia get into acting
Julia helped Nadia get into actingCredit: Rex Features

The other is a famous actress who starred as moody Saffy in sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

Nadia previously revealed Julia opened doors for her in the acting world - but nowadays the pair don't even follow each other on social media.

It seems their very public make-ups and break-ups have left relations between Nadia and Julia Sawalha anything but Ab Fab.

Spectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three yearsSpectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three years

The lookalike sisters — along with eldest sister Dina — grew up in ­Croydon, South London.

After Julia was born, Nadia was forced to live apart from her family.

She recalled feeling jealous of Julia's bond with their parents when she was a child.

She said: “When my mum had Julia, I was so excited I kept wanting to pick her up and cuddle her. My mum, who was a bit postnatal, got scared and sent me to her mother’s.

“Julia was a beautiful baby and everyone was crazy about her, so my sister Dina and I were a bit jealous.

“And as she grew up she was very much ‘Daddy’s little girl’.”

Honest Nadia also revealed how Julia helped her get into acting and let her move in with her, which provoked a number of arguments between the young women at the time.

Nadia's first role was playing the role of Annie Palmer in EastEnder from 1997 to 1999.

But she felt like she was living in her ­little sister’s shadow.

Nadia recalled: “When I went into EastEnders everyone called me Julia. It made me feel insecure.”

Robbie Williams poised to launch his own brand of energy drinks to rival PrimeRobbie Williams poised to launch his own brand of energy drinks to rival Prime

Julia also played Lynda Day, editor of the Junior Gazette, in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

At the height of Julia's fame two decades ago, the sisters suffered a huge fallout over Julia’s then-boyfriend, actor Alan Davies.

Nadia branded the notoriously private comic and Jonathan Creek star “a miserable git” after he complained about photos of him at Nadia’s wedding in a magazine.

Nadia said at the time: “I’ve never liked one of Julia’s boyfriends yet. For a comedian, he’s a miserable git.”

The siblings only patched things up after Julia and Davies split in 2004 - after two years of not speaking.

Commenting on their row, Nadia added: “We’ve had some rocky times, but the culprit has always been men.”

After Julia's split she stepped back from acting and moved to Bath in Somerset.

But in 2016 she reprised her role as Saffy in the movie version of Ab Fab.

And a chance encounter on a trip to London to see her mother prompted her and Nadia to start talking again.

Speaking about that time, Julia recalled: “Nadia lives next door, and when I saw her at the window I walked over to her house.

“She came to the door and I said: ‘I miss you.’ ‘Oh, Julia,’ she said, ‘how brave of you!’ We hugged. I thought she didn’t love me. Now I know it’s the opposite.”

But they finally seemed to be finally getting along - until another bitter fallout.

In 2019, Julia accused the Loose Women star of "destroying" her family and spreading "lies and rubbish" in a furious tweet.

Nadia had recounted growing up with with her sisters and in particular her "volatile" relationship with Absolutely Fabulous star Julia.

She said on Loose Women: "So we've always had periods of time in our life where we don't speak. I always say I have the best time or the worst time of my life with her. It's the same with both my sisters.

"My dad always says 'formidable women'. That's all he wanted. He came to this country with £50 in his pocket because he wanted six daughters who were free.

"His sister was married at 14. He said 'I want strong, independent, professional women that follow their dreams.

"What he got was free very independent, difficult women. Because of that we have a very intense on and off relationship."

However, after watching the emotional segment, Julia took to Twitter to share her side of the story.

She fumed: "So tired of #nadiasawalha talking about our ‘stormy’ relationship which she created.

"I've kept my privacy for 6 years to protect my family, whilst she talks lies & rubbish.

"You have destroyed our family so don’t sit on TV with your fake tears to gain sympathy & attention."

Julia continued: "Yes well it’s very difficult when you only see the story from one side.

"I’m not actually fighting, she is, but paints a very different picture publicly and I’ve had enough."

Nadia recently revealed that she lived on the same road with her parents and her sister Dina.

But she said their parents have recently moved to Jordan

Julia and Nadia with their dad Nadim
Julia and Nadia with their dad NadimCredit: BBC
It wasn't simply about a sibling rivalry though - almost two decades ago, Julia's then-boyfriend Alan Davies accused Nadia of selling pictures of him
It wasn't simply about a sibling rivalry though - almost two decades ago, Julia's then-boyfriend Alan Davies accused Nadia of selling pictures of himCredit: The Picture Library Ltd
Nadia admitted she felt that she was living in her little sister's shadow when she landed the role of Annie Palmer in EastEnders
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

Mary Gallagher

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