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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Emma Dunn & Saffron Otter

Daughter of couple that has appeared on TV 2,500 times stars in Hollywood film

Britain's most prolific extras who have appeared on television 2,500 times ended up falling in love and having a child together - who is also now an extra in films. Neilum Raqia-Walker, 46, met her future husband, John Walker, 50, on the set of BBC's Doctors when they were playing husband and wife in July 2008.

The couple were both regulars on the small screen. Neilum had appeared in Casualty as a nurse, and Midsomer Murders as a police officer. John featured in Hollyoaks as a doctor, The Woman in Black as a butler and Doctor Who as a diseased patient, among other roles.

After hitting it off, Neilum and John moved in together after just a month of dating and John proposed a year later in November 2009. They tied the knot in November 2013 and welcomed their daughter, India, seven, in February 2015 - who modelled as a Princess Charlotte lookalike at just six days old.

The couple were both regulars on the small screen (Courtesy Neilum Raqia-Walker SWNS)

India took up acting as young as 10 months old and has featured in movie Ouijageist as a baby. She played a child pretending to be a bank manager in a Barclays advert and appeared in a Twycross zoo ad.

Most recently, she starred in the 2022 Hollywood blockbuster All the Old Knives alongside Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton.

She played a daughter in a flashback scene, with Neilum playing her mum.

The parents continue to feature in TV shows such as The Bill, Casualty, Midsummer Murders and other soaps and dramas.

But John now works as a first assistant director for Doctors.

John, from Dudley, West Midlands, said: "I owe my life to Doctors, my daughter wouldn't exist without it. I'm proud of all the extra work I have done.

"I gave it up in September 2012 and got a normal job to raise funds to make feature films.

"I joined Doctors three years ago at 48 as a runner and managed to get to first assistant director which is basically a floor manager in a year and a half.

"I'm the guy that shouts 'action' and 'cut.'"

Their daughter India - who is also on screen (Stephen Curry / SWNS)
India was an extra in All the Old Knives with Chris Pine (Courtesy Neilum Raqia-Walker SWNS)

Nelium, a part-time shop assistant who runs a chaperone agency, added: "India ended up modelling as Princess Charlotte at six days old.

"She blows me away now with her acting.

"I didn't know if she would be able to do TV or films but they say 'action' and she does it. We've been able to do some extra work together and play mum and daughter.

"She got to be an extra in All the Old Knives with Chris Pine. We'll let her do it as long as she still enjoys it.

"Being extras has never made us millions, but no two days are the same and getting to work with John on some of the nation's favourite shows has been so much fun.

"It's come full circle now that he is directing on Doctors - the show we met on."

Neilum met John when they were paired together as husband and wife on the set of Doctors in 2008.

Talking about how they first met, Neilum said: "In the scene they asked John where his wife was and he pointed to me.

"So we got paired together working for the rest of the scenes.

"Afterwards, John found me on Facebook and asked if I wanted some experience behind the camera on a pilot he was working on.

"We hit it off from there and moved in together after just a few months of dating."

A year later, John proposed on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, but the pair didn't get married until November 2013 while they saved up for the big day.

John hopes India is in Doctors one day (Courtesy Neilum Raqia-Walker SWNS)

"John went back to retail as a manager and I took a part-time job in Tesco too," Neilum said.

"He was very unhappy and wanted to get back to acting and directing."

The couple started trying for a family as soon as they had tied the knot and welcomed India in February 2015.

"I knew John was unhappy so I picked up overtime and he started as a runner and worked his way up," Neilum explained.

"Now he's a first assistant director and has shot some short films."

Neilum picks up the odd extra work but focuses on her chaperone agency, and finding acting gigs for India.

Since the pair met, John has clocked up to 70 hours on screen - the equivalent of 35 feature length films and featured in around 200 programmes.

As well as popular TV shows, the couple were background actors in the final Harry Potter film and John has appeared in Doctor Who with David Tennant.

Speaking about India's work, John added: "I can't believe she hasn't been on Doctors yet.

"She will one day and then it really will have all gone full circle."

Do you have a unique story to share about how you met your husband or wife? Please get in touch at webfeatures@trinitymirror.com

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