Priya Kotecha (also Sharma) is a fictional character from the British television soap opera Emmerdale, played by Fiona Wade.

The character was introduced along with her brothers Jai (Chris Bisson) and Nikhil (Rik Makarem) by series producer, Gavin Blyth, as part of an ongoing overhaul of the show.

Priya's storylines have seen her embark on a casual fling with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) and start a relationship with David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden), her feud with Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson), a battle with anorexia, a marriage to Rakesh Kotecha (Pasha Bocarie), and an affair with Pete Barton (Anthony Quinlan), the fiancé of her best friend Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi).

On 21 July 2009, Kris Green from Digital Spy reported Emmerdale's new series producer, Gavin Blyth, would be introducing a new family called the Sharmas part of an ongoing overhaul of the show.

[1] Of the siblings, Blyth said "The Sharmas are a young, contemporary family independent of their parents and will bring the factory into the heart of the village community.

"[6]Shortly before arrival on-screen, Woods called Priya a "fun-loving and fancy-free" character and said she would give her brothers a few headaches.

[2] Woods revealed the character's backstory, saying "Prior to arriving in the village, she went to fashion college but ended up dropping out, then she tried to set up her own business which could have done well, but she was bad at managing her money and spent it all.

[8] When Jai's partner, Charity Tate (Emma Atkins), warns Priya to stay away from Cain, she refuses to listen to her.

[8] Wade told Inside Soap's Kate White, "The fact Charity has warned her off has actually made Priya more interested in Cain.

[8] Wade later explained to a writer for What's on TV, "Cain is totally using her, but Priya enjoys spending time with him as he treats her well.

"[5] In August, Priya takes an interest in David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) after she is touched by his fatherly bond with Jacob Gallagher (Joe Warren-Plant).

[11] Priya and David talk and he reveals that his marriage to Jacob's mother, Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson), is fake.

[11] Wolfenden later confirmed that a romance between Priya and David would begin to develop and they would share "secret snogs in the woods".

[12] David and Priya try to be discreet with their relationship, but after they are almost caught by Genesis Walker (Sian Reese-Williams), they decide to arrange "a rendezvous" outside the village.

[13] On 23 October 2022, Joe Anderton of Digital Spy reported that Wade had decided to leave Emmerdale and would be filming her final scenes in the coming months, as she wanted to seek other acting opportunities.

[14] In an interview with Johnathon Hughes of Inside Soap, Wade told him that deciding to leave the serial was one of the hardest decisions she had ever made, but she wanted to challenge herself.

[15] Wade told Hughes: "I love that Priya feels empowered rather than guilty about deciding to accept the job.

Priya is given a job at the factory run by her brothers Jai and Nikhil, but she quits after they make her acting supervisor.

A year later, Priya returns to the village with her parents, Rishi and Georgia Sharma (Trudie Goodwin), to meet Jai's fiancée, Charity Tate (Emma Atkins).

When she discovers that Cain got Amy Wyatt (Chelsea Halfpenny) pregnant, Priya is disgusted and ends the relationship.

Priya develops a crush on David Metcalfe, who initially resists her advances on account of his marriage to Alicia Gallagher (Natalie Anderson), who is serving time in prison.

Priya walks into The Woolpack and tells Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) that she is leaving the village, and is shocked when David asks her for his ring back.

When Alicia's sister, Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) returns to Emmerdale, she becomes good friends with Priya, as they both hate David.

David learns of the eating disorder and is furious, although feels guilty when Georgia explains that stress probably caused it.

A stressed Priya, exacerbated by Amba's refusal to eat her food, lashes out at her young niece Eliza Macey in an outburst witnessed by Rishi, causing the toddler much distress.

On the following day, at Eliza's second birthday party, Priya attempts to avoid her only to cause her further upset when she is urged by Jai to help her open a present.

However, Priya's innocence is ultimately proved when Eliza's bruises return in the company of her mother a month later and are determined to be the result of medication she is taking for epilepsy.

Of the character's first appearance, a reporter for the Sunday Mercury stated "Priya Sharma makes a dramatic entrance into the village when she gets drunk and dances on the vicar's car.

"[16] Jane Simon and Brian McIver, writing for the Daily Record thought the Sharmas were the perfect team to run a confectionery business, saying "There's hard-boiled Nikhil, brother Jai – who's as sweet and soft-hearted as a marshmallow Flump – and then there's little sister Priya, who's nutty and doused in liqueur.

"[18] Simon's colleague branded Priya and David "saucy devils" when they agreed to carry on meeting in secret.