Emmerdale Jai Sharma star's life - hair transplant, struggles and gorgeous partner

Emmerdale star Chris Bisson has been stirring up drama as Jai Sharma on the ITV show since joining in 2009. But soap fans will remember the much-loved actor as Coronation Street's Vikram Desai, the cousin of Dev Alahan (played by).

Vikram arrived in Weatherfield in 1999, but after four years on the cobbles, he was banished to Mumbai by Dev. Speaking about why he quit Corrie, Chris previously said he was frustrated with his storylines.

He told Manchester Evening News: "I'd thought about leaving Coronation Street several times before I finally quit.

"That was because I hadn't had a decent storyline for a while. I have been an actor since I was 13 and I'm not particularly worried. I played the same part in Coronation Street for four years."

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But seven years later, Chris landed the role of Jai Sharma and has been a big part of Emmerdale ever since.

Businessman Jai has taken on some big storylines over the years in the Dales. Currently, his character is embroiled in a bitter split from wife Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy), who ended their marriage.

Chris' first TV role was actually like many of his fellow soap stars. He appeared in ITV's Children's Ward, playing JJ for 13 episodes from 1990, before having roles in Cops and Where the Heart Is.

As well as the two big soaps, actor Chris has also starred in Prime Suspect, Hotel Babylon, Doctors, Shameless, and Holby City. Plus, was cast in the movie Four Brothers and a Funeral, and Death of a Socialist, among others.

Away from Emmerdale, Chris can be found spending time with his family. The 49-year-old has been with his fiancé Rowena for close to two decades, with the pair sharing two children: Harry and Ella Rose.

The couple has taken the term ‘taking things slowly’ to the next level, as they were engaged in 2016 – 10 years after first getting together – and have no public plans for a wedding eight years after their engagement.

Recalling the moment he popped the question while in the Lake District for their 10th anniversary, Chris told OK!: "We’d seen an elderly couple walking and holding hands earlier. It was very sweet.

"I said to Rowena, 'There’s a reason I brought you here. You know that old couple we saw earlier?' 'Well, would you like to grow old like that with me?'."

The soap star often shares snippets of family life on social media, including days out, birthday celebrations, and trips away.

Back in 2020, the dad-of-two revealed that he had undergone a follicular unit transplantation also known as a hair transplant.

The Woolpack regular revealed that while solving his hair loss concerns gave him huge personal satisfaction, his career was also a driving force behind the decision.

He said: "As soon as you start losing your hair you’re immediately cast older, so it does reduce the amount of parts you can play. If you are 40 and bald you probably get cast as being 45 or 50. It can affect your career.

"There are definitely more parts for actors who have a full head of hair. You don't know what opportunities might be lost."

The Manchester star’s surgery was carried out at the city’s Farjo Hair Institute, and Chris says it’s made his life easier both on and off-screen.

He added: "In real life, you don’t really notice your hair loss day to day. At work, it’s different because you sit in front of a mirror and have a specific look that you need to achieve. The first time I spotted it was probably in my early to mid-30s.

"I was quite pleased that I had managed to keep my hair for as long as I had. But when you go into work and they are having to adjust the lighting, or make-up are having to put more powder on your head just to take the shine off before you go for a take, you notice.".

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX