Natalie Cassidy – who played Sonia Fowler on EastEnders for over three decades – told Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page that she didn’t miss being on the BBC soap at all
EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has opened up about the major perks of quitting the soap.
Natalie, 41, was a mainstay of the BBC show, having played Sonia Fowler – formerly Jackson – since 1993. After decades in the role, Natalie shocked fans in January when she announced she would be leaving the soap.
Sonia’s final scenes came during EastEnders’ 40th anniversary last month, and Natalie reflected on her first few weeks away from the show on her podcast, Off the Telly.
Speaking to her co-host, Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, Natalie shared that she was “not missing” being on the show.
“It’s nice to have a little bit of length and feel a little bit different to Sonia. The burden of learning lines every night has gone at the moment, which is a really lovely thing. I feel like I’ve got the evenings back, so that is really nice,” Natalie explained of her happiness over quitting.
Joanna asked: “Are you forgetting every now and then, and sort of going, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got work?’” Natalie responded: “No, I’m not forgetting.”
She added: “But at the moment it’s early days, isn’t it? I’m sure I’ll miss it in a while. But you always miss the people, you miss your friends, don’t you? But I have to say I’m not missing the work.”
While Natalie has her evenings back due to leaving EastEnders, she’s still keeping busy with Off the Telly and her own successful podcast Life With Nat, and has also been chosen to front a new Channel 4 consumer show called What’s The Big Deal, which was commissioned last summer.
The star recently opened up about what else she plans to do with her extra time, and admitted that her main goal was to do more “mum things’’ with her two children. Natalie shares daughter Joanie with her cameraman partner Marc Humphries, and is also mum to daughter Eliza from a previous relationship.
Opening up about her life behind the scenes, she shared: “I love being at home and just pottering. I have got an eight year old and a 14 year old and the time goes so quickly. I want to pick the kids up from school. I want to be able to go to the school sports day.”
In the 40th anniversary live episode, Sonia’s crisis became the lead storyline as she gave birth trapped under the rubble of the burned down Queen Vic – with the father of Sonia’s baby, Reiss Colwell was crushed right in front of her.
Natalie teased that the historic episode won’t be her last, admitting that she imagines “popping back” for the show’s 50th anniversary – or even 45th.
However, she did make one demand of the BBC, insisting that she’d rather Sonia was killed off than recast. “If they recast Sonia, I’m going to Borehamwood with a sledgehammer – I feel very protective about Sonia,” she joked.
