Sarker has played a wide variety of roles in her career. Her initial success came when she was cast as recurring character
Nisha Batra in the
Channel 4 soap opera
Brookside from 1988 to 1991, before returning as a regular from 2000 until 2003. Sarker also starred in the regional soap opera
London Bridge. This was followed by her portrayal of Anji Mittel in
No Angels from 2004 to 2006. Sarker's next notable role was portraying the part of Clare Burns in the
BBC drama
The Chase, until the show was pulled after its second series. In 2007, Sarker was a contestant on the celebrity cooking series
Celebrity MasterChef. Subsequently, Sarker played the role of
Dr Zoe Hanna in the BBC medical drama
Casualty from December 2007 until May 2016. After her departure was announced, Sarker made a promise to co-star
Jamie Davis that she would return for one episode when he decided to leave the programme, a promise she honoured in 2018, appearing in an episode broadcast on 13 January. She later reprised the role for another guest stint, with her return set to air in 2024. In 2017, she played DCI Jane Burr in the second series of
ITV's
Safe House. From 2017 to 2022, Sarker starred in the
Channel 4 drama series
Ackley Bridge as
Kaneez Paracha, for which she received the award for Best TV Character at the Asian Media Awards. On 23 July 2021, it was confirmed that Sarker would become a panellist on
Loose Women.
Strictly Come Dancing In autumn 2014, Sarker competed in the
twelfth series of the BBC's
Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with New Zealand professional dancer
Brendan Cole. In the first week, the couple danced a
Tango to "
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" by
Robert Palmer and scored 24. In the second week, they danced a
Cha-cha-cha to "
Million Dollar Bill" by
Whitney Houston and scored 26. In the third week, the couple danced the
American Smooth to "
The Way You Look Tonight" from the film
Swing Time and scored 40, including a 9 from head judge
Len Goodman. Because of Sunetra's filming schedule, the routine had to be learned in a single day. In the fourth week, the couple danced the
Salsa to "
Turn the Beat Around" by
Vicki Sue Robinson and scored 27. In the fifth week, the couple danced the
Viennese Waltz to "
Anyone Who Had a Heart" by
Cilla Black and scored 30. In week six, opening the show, they danced a
Jive to "
Tainted Love" by
Gloria Jones and scored 27. In week seven, they danced a
Foxtrot to "
All of Me" by
John Legend and scored 31. In week eight, at
Blackpool, they danced a
Samba to "
I Don't Feel Like Dancin" by the
Scissor Sisters and scored 30. The couple were voted into the dance-off against
Judy Murray and
Anton du Beke, but were unanimously saved by the judges. In week nine, they danced a
Waltz, to "
Last Request" by
Paolo Nutini, and again scored 30, placing them in one from last place. The couple was voted into the dance-off with
Steve Backshall and
Ola Jordan, but were saved by three votes to one from the judges. In week ten, they danced a
Rhumba to "
The Girl from Ipanema" by
Michael Bolton. They were again voted into the dance-off, against
Mark Wright and
Karen Hauer, but were unanimously voted out by the judges. ==Personal life==