Aaron Thiara, the actor behind EastEnders' Ravi Gulati, is set to depart the BBC One soap after four years, with his final scenes expected to air before the end of 2026.
The 33-year-old has played the fan-favourite character since 2022, when Ravi was introduced as an inmate Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) met in prison. He quickly became a regular, arriving in Walford to start fresh after his release.
Over the years, Ravi has been at the centre of major storylines, including being revealed as the secret son of Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) and later killing both Nish and his abusive adoptive father Ranveer. His relationships with ex Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy), daughter Avani (Aaliyah James), and romance with Denise Fox (Diane Parish) have provided extensive material.
Mental Health Storyline and Recent Return
Earlier this year, Ravi was sectioned amid a mental health struggle, with Thiara delivering what was described as a powerhouse performance. He has since returned to the Square, and next week he proposes to Priya in a bid to win her back.
However, his time in Walford is coming to an end. According to The Sun, Thiara will leave at the end of the year. A source told the publication: 'Aaron has been at the centre of some of the soap's biggest storylines since his arrival as bad-boy Ravi back in 2022. He's an incredibly popular member of the cast and the fans love him.'
The source added: 'He's decided to focus on new projects, but will stay on set until the end of the year to see out some juicy storylines his character has in store.'
Exit Storyline Speculation
Metro has reached out to EastEnders for comment. The question remains: what will ultimately lead to Ravi's exit? In recent scenes, he has been trying to uncover who Priya has been having an affair with, but it is unclear if he will succeed.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One, or streams from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Fans can expect Ravi's departure to unfold in the coming months, with the character's exit likely to be tied to ongoing plotlines.
