Natalie Cassidy has been on EastEnders since she was young. She played Sonia Fowler for over 30 years. Now, she has walked away from the soap, and she’s opening up about her life after leaving. The actress spoke about her bond with the older stars, about why she quit, and how she feels more like herself again. It’s personal, it’s raw, and it shows a very different Natalie. Keep scrolling to know more.
Natalie’s Bond With EastEnders Legends
Natalie recently admitted that she always felt closer to the elders on set. She instantly connected with older women like Barbara Windsor, June Brown and Wendy Richards. She even called June her “dearest, oldest friend.”
For Natalie, they are not just co-stars. They inspire her. Barbara played Peggy Mitchell, one of the soap’s strongest characters. June worked even in her 90s. She played Dot Cotton. Wendy was part of the soap for a long time. She played Pauline Fowler. None of these characters is on the soap. However, Natalie still misses them. They mean a lot to her.
She also said that she never tried to make Sonia look glamorous. She explained that it was not who the character was. Sonia used to work for the NHS. She used to live a simple life and always carried the weight of her stories. Natalie also revealed that she never dyes her hair or puts in extensions. She did so as she wanted to keep Sonia true and natural.
However, when she left the soap, she changed herself. She started dressing up and also wore bright nails. When she played Sonia, she felt sad and angry at times. But now she feels her frown lines have faded away with time. She was on the soap in 1993. She’s 40 now. And she said that her birthday pushed her to rethink her decisions. Natalie now knows what she wants. And that is the reason she thought of leaving the BBC soap for good.
Natalie’s Life After Albert Square
She said that EastEnders is a great job, but it keeps you chained. It leaves only a little space to plan your own life. Natalie wanted some freedom. She got freedom when she left the soap. However, she still loves Albert Square the same. It will always hold a special place in her heart.
After leaving, she has already tried new things. She posted on her Instagram that she is a part of the Inside Number 9 stage production in Canterbury. It was big for her after nearly 10 years away from the stage. She’s open to a guest’s return to Walford. But right now, she is happy being away. For the fans, Sonia Fowler will always be special. They will wait for her to return to Walford again. For more EastEnders spoilers and updates, keep following Soap Opera Daily.