Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati has revealed that they now identify as non-binary.

The actor, who played Sunita Alahan in the ITV soap for nine years, said they only recently realised there was a term to describe the feelings they had had all their life.

Speaking to Kaye Adams on her How to be 60 podcast Shobna, 58, explained: ‘I’ve become more happy describing myself as a person. What do people call it now? Non binary. So, I suppose that’s who I am.’

The star, who now lists their preferred pronouns as ‘she/they’ on social media, continued: ‘I’ve never had a word for it, but I’ve learnt from our younger generation what that might look like in terms of a word, because I know what it feels like in terms of being me.’

‘All the way through my life I’ve never had the words for that and I’ve never managed to explain that and I suppose my immediate family have not really thought about it.

‘They’ve just thought: ‘Shobna is either extremely feminine or extremely masculine.’ Because I was just accepted as a person who fell out of the tree and equally the person who put on all this make up and did a dance.’

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Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati has revealed that they now identify as non-binary

Shobna explained that it was during a conversation with a non-binary sound engineer on a job that they realised how they identified.

‘The sound person said to me that they were non-binary and I said: ‘what is that?’ So, then they explained and I thought – ‘well, I feel like that, but I didn’t ever have that vocabulary.”

‘They said that they saw themselves as a person and that the gender – the he or the she – wasn’t important to who they are. And I thought: ‘that’s all I’ve ever thought.’

‘And I think now I’m free to say it out loud. I think people around me have accepted who I am for a long time without any explanation, but I suppose when I’m asked now, I’ll say it.’

Shobna married architect Anshu Srivastava in a Hindu ceremony in 1990 when they were 23 but the couple split four years later. A year later Shobna gave birth to a son Akshay, now 30.

The actress also dated Emmerdale actor Gary Turner for four years from 1999 to 2003 during their 12 years on Coronation Street, explaining on the podcast: ‘I did have relationships, but then they were very public.

‘It was sad for me, because I didn’t feel that I got enough time to have a relationship and to have more children and have a private life, because it was so un-private and so exposed.

Shobna is now in a relationship, telling Kaye Adams: ‘I think I’ve loved this person all my life.’

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The actor, who played Sunita Alahan in the ITV soap, said that they only recently realised there was a term to describe the feelings they had had all their life

The star, who now lists their preferred pronouns as ‘she/they’ on social media, continued: ‘I’ve never had a word for it, but I’ve learnt from our younger generation what that might look like in terms of a word, because I know what it feels like in terms of being me.’

‘All the way through my life I’ve never had the words for that and I’ve never managed to explain that and I suppose my immediate family have not really thought about it.

‘They’ve just thought: ‘Shobna is either extremely feminine or extremely masculine.’ Because I was just accepted as a person who fell out of the tree and equally the person who put on all this make up and did a dance.’

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Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati has revealed that they now identify as non-binary

Elaborating on whether they would be open to dating all genders, the star added: ‘That is also something I’m looking at – what that means to me. So yes, I would go for a person absolutely, regardless of their gender.’

In 2013 Shobna revealed they had dumped their toyboy lover after the 17-year age difference became too apparent.

The star admitted at the time that things came to a head at their friend Denise Welch’s wedding when 30-year-old Anthony Brown, a TV runner, found he couldn’t relate to their fellow guests.

Speaking to The Sun, Shobna confessed: ‘He felt like he was in a different world’ and that they had ‘started to feel like his mother.’

Shobna said: ‘The problems emerged over time, the longer we were together. At Denise’s wedding things became unstuck.

‘It was full of veteran entertainers like The Krankies and Christopher Biggins. It became very clear he wanted something different to me and neither of us was prepared to compromise.’

Following a series of rows the Loose Women panelist decided they weren’t willing to give things another go.

Shobna also acknowledged that it would have been unfair on the TV runner not to have the opportunity to become a father if he stayed with them and they didn’t want the responsibility that came with knowing that.

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In 2013 Shobna revealed they had dumped their toyboy lover Anthony Brown after the 17-year age difference became too apparent (pictured together in May 2013)

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Speaking to Kaye Adams on her How to be 60 podcast Shobna, 58, explained: ‘I’ve become more happy describing myself as a person. What do people call it now? Non binary. So, I suppose that’s who I am’ (pictured in 2021)

Anthony also got along well with Shobna’s son, which sometimes made them feel like they were his ‘mum’, rather than his girlfriend.

They said: ‘Sometimes when they were on the couch joking about something on the internet and I was in the kitchen making dinner I did feel like Anthony’s mum as well. I told him it was hard for me because I wanted to be acting like a girlfriend.’

In 2022, Shobna worked alongside her son, Akshay, in the play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

Speaking on working together in the Guardian, Shobna explained: ‘I’m working with Akshay at the moment, and what’s beautiful is that we’re in a space where we are equals. I’m not his mum and he’s not my son – we are actors in a room.

‘There’s a hierarchy in place, and it’s the director who has the keys. It’s an extraordinary feeling to relinquish that normal mother-son dynamic. Especially testing as a single mum.’

Opening up on their pregnancy, Shobna continued: ‘I always thought I’d go to university and meet someone, get married and have babies, like my sisters and brothers. But it wasn’t that way for me.

‘I was 28 and dancing at the time. Working on a show called Moti Roti, Puttli Chunni, a play at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East in London. It was my first proper theatre job and it was getting great reviews.

‘When we were touring, I grew and grew with Akshay inside me, and confronted all the challenges that being pregnant brings. It was out of wedlock and with a man who my family and wider community didn’t consider part of our culture.

‘I had to hide my bump when I came to Manchester, and all the aunties would say: “You’ve put on weight!” The next time I turned up, I was with a baby and one of them asked: “Whose baby is this?” I said: “It’s mine, aunty.” I was shamed and faced a huge backlash, but I’m not afraid of standing up for my choices and who I am.’

Shobna, who got their big break in the 1990s playing Anita in Dinnerladies, also reflected in the new interview on the pressure they faced to appear more traditionally feminine while growing up in Lancashire.

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Shobna married architect Anshu Srivastava in a Hindu ceremony when they were 23 but the couple split four years later.The actress also dated Emmerdale actor Gary Turner for four years (Pictured with Gary in 2002)

They explained: ‘My father would say things like: ‘Oh, you haven’t dressed up today,’ or ‘You haven’t washed your hair,’ or ‘Your hair looks limp, you can’t go out like that.’ I’d say: ‘Why not?’

‘He’d make comments along the way… ‘I walk like a boy.’

‘Lots of people tell me I walk like a boy, and I do. I just don’t know quite where it all comes from; it’s just who I am, and I’m happy in that now.’

Last year, Shoba revealed they were questioning their career choice after losing out on another audition.

Sharing an emotional post on Instagram, Shobna penned: ‘The face of rejection from something I didn’t even know I wanted to do in the first place.

‘Honestly why on earth did I pick this career sometimes I really don’t know anyway just so you it cold out there (sic)’

Yet that same month, the Dinnerladies star was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

Shobna was made an MBE for services to the cultural industries.

The actress, who has enjoyed a 35-year career in the entertainment industry, most recently starred in the last ever episode of Vera on New Year’s Day and can be seen in The Serial Killer’s Wife, which airs on Channel 5 from Boxing Day.

Shobna also took part in the Bake Off festive special which aired on Christmas Eve.

The actress bid a final farewell to the cobbles of Weatherfield in 2013, with a suitably ‘dramatic’ departure planned for the much-loved character.

Leaving the Street to explore new career opportunities, Shobna explained at the time that while they was sad to say goodbye to Sunita, they were looking forward to focusing on comedy work in the future.

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Shobna was made an MBE for services to the cultural industries in December

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The actress bid a final farewell to the cobbles of Weatherfield in 2013, with a suitably ‘dramatic’ departure planned for the much-loved characte

In a statement released at the time, the popular soap star said: ‘I have loved playing Sunita but, having played the role originally from 2001 to 2005 and then returning to Corrie four years ago, I really feel the time has come for me to focus on other aspects of my career.

‘I had always told myself I would see my son through school, and I have done that. Comedy writing has long been a passion of mine and the commitment to a show like Corrie is huge and doesn’t really leave enough time to concentrate on other projects.

‘I’d love to be able to combine my writing and acting career in the future.

‘Playing Sunita has been a fabulous opportunity. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her journey and am looking forward with excitement to her dramatic departure.

‘I shall miss her. That said, I have made a host of friends [in the] cast and crew – friendships that will stay with me.’

The actress played Sunita Alahan in Corrie between 2001 and 2006, returning to the popular role between 2009 and 2013.

In 2019, Shobna took on the role of Ray in the West End production of Everybody’s Taking About Jamie and also reprised the role for the movie adaptation – the only lead star to do as such.

Shobna reprised their role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie for the 2023-2024 UK and Ireland Tour.