Emmerdale is expanding and in the coming months expect to see three new faces hitting your screens.

Coronation Street’s Chris Bisson, Torchwood’s Rik Makarem and Hollyoaks: In The City’s Effie Woods will join the soap as a trio of entrepreneurial siblings, Jai, Nikhil and Priya Sharma, planning to manage the new local confectionery factory.

Speaking of joining the ITV soap, Bisson said: “Jai is a bit of a charmer and has an eye for the ladies but he’s also a hard worker with a good business mind. I’m delighted to be joining Emmerdale at a time when the show is going from strength to strength. I can’t wait to get started.”

Makarem commented: “Nikhil is a fiercely ambitious and determined individual, but having lived in the shadow of his brother in the past, he has an indomitable spirit and drive to make the factory a success. He’s very quick-witted and extremely protective of his younger sister. I’m really looking forward to filming my first scenes later this month.”

Woods added: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Emmerdale. Priya is fun-loving and fancy-free and I think she’ll be giving her brothers a few headaches in the future! She’s going to be a lot of fun to play.”

The show’s series producer Gavin Blyth said of the castings: “The Sharmas are a young, contemporary family independent of their parents and will bring the factory into the heart of the village community. They will add real vitality to life in Emmerdale.”