EastEnders Avani star Aaliyah James' real age as 15-year-old character strip searched

ok.co.uk:

Tonight's episode of EastEnders will see 15 year old Avani Nandra-Hart, played by Aaliyah James, subjected to a police strip search after she and friends Lily Slater and Amy Mitchell play truant from school and encounter Marvin, who is known for selling Avani vapes.

When the police show up, Marvin flees and discards pills near Avani, leading to the girls being taken to the station where Avani faces a search without parental presence due to her parents not answering their phones.

In a twist off-screen, Aaliyah James, the actress behind Avani, isn't actually a teen but 24 years old, meaning there's a nine-year difference between her and her on-screen persona.

Embracing the age gap with humour, Aaliyah celebrated her true age on social media with a cheeky post: "Guys... I'm now 15..