Azim Desai is the son of Sheebah Desai, and the half-brother of Sami Maalik.
Azim arrived in Hollyoaks in September 2019 immediately after learning of Sami Maalik's engagement to Sinead Shelby, throwing flower petals over Sinead. Sami and Azim's Aunty Kameela told them that Azim would be planning Sami and Sinead's wedding and engagement party, which Sinead liked the idea of. Azim originally planned for the engagement party to be held at The Hutch, unaware that Sinead's step-mother, Diane Hutchinson, who Sinead was on bad terms with, was one of the owners. Sinead refused to hold the party at The Hutch, so Azim managed to book The Loft instead.
During the party, far right extremist Jonny Baxter planned to detonate a bomb in The Loft. However, the blast occurred in the backyard of 65 Christleton Terrace, injuring Sami's half-sister, Yasmine Maalik. Yasmine was left with permanent ear damage from the blast.
Ste Hay, one of the members from Jonny and Stuart Sumner's far right organisation, attempted to leave the group with the help of Sami. Sami refused to help, but Azim decided to after finding a note written by Ste, which he had thrown over the fence. Azim confronted Ste, and promised to help, telling him of his best friend who was radicalised. He also managed to get the help of Ste's half-sister, Leela Lomax. As Azim helped Ste, the pair grew closer. Ste confided in Azim when Jonny pretended to want to leave the group, but Ste told Jonny of his plans, against Azim's advice. Azim and Ste ended up kissing but were interrupted by Stuart returning to the house.
On the day of Sami and Sinead's wedding (for which Sinead did not return from Spain for), Ste was kidnapped by Jonny and Stuart and Sami and Azim went to help. Sami also ended up being kidnapped, and were taken to a cliff where Stuart planned to murder Ste. Leela, Peri Lomax, Stuart's son Sid and Azim eventually managed to find them. They came across an unconscious Sami, and Azim looked after him whilst the others went after Ste. Stuart attempted to push Ste from the cliff, but Sid intervened, resulting in him pushing his father over the edge to his death. Azim's family were furious to learn of his relationship with Ste, but Azim told them that he did not care, and did not need their approval. However, Ste decided that he needed to leave the village for a while, and broke up with Azim.
Azim was hired as the wedding planner for Jesse Donovan and Courtney Campbell's wedding. Having enjoyed working with Scott Drinkwell on Sami and Sinead's engagement party, Azim recruited Scott as his assistant. Azim developed feelings for Scott, and Scott was surprised when Azim kissed him. Scott was flattered when Azim revealed why he had chosen Scott as his assistant, and Scott agreed to go on a date with Azim, which was a success. Scott later told his ex-boyfriend Mitchell Deveraux, that he was not interested in a reconciliation as he felt that Azim was the one for him. Azim later received a job offer from a London-based high-profile wedding planning company.
Mitchell, conflicted by his sexuality and his grandfather's homophobic religious views, attacked Azim in the alleyway beside The Dog in the Pond. Sami reported the crime, but Azim revealed that he did not want to press charges. Following the attack, Scott was left disgusted by Mitchell and accepted Azim's offer to accompany him to London. However, Scott ended up getting cold feet after a discussion with Mitchell, and ended up backing out of accompanying Azim to London. Azim realised that Scott still had feelings for Mitchell. He said that he didn't hate Scott for choosing Mitchell over him, and left for London alone.
List of appearances[]
2019[]
- 13th September 2019
- 16th September 2019
- 17th September 2019
- 18th September 2019
- 19th September 2019
- 23rd September 2019
- 24th September 2019
- 8th November 2019
- 11th November 2019
- 12th November 2019
- 13th November 2019
- 14th November 2019
- 15th November 2019
- 18th November 2019 (5301 & 5301A)
- 19th November 2019
- 20th November 2019
- 21st November 2019
- 18th December 2019
- 20th December 2019