Natalie Cassidy has candidly shared a pivotal moment of self-reflection following her 40th birthday that led to her decision to bid farewell to EastEnders. Last month, the actress, now 41, made the announcement that she would be hanging up Sonia Fowler’s trumpet after gracing Albert Square for over three decades. Natalie expressed a mix of emotions, stating she was “extremely sad” yet “very excited” about her departure, with the BBC confirming her final appearances will coincide with the soap’s 40th anniversary celebrations starting February 17. In her heartfelt statement, Natalie remarked: “I feel extremely sad to be writing this, but also very excited. After another 11 solid years back on the square, I have decided it’s time to move on to pastures new. EastEnders is in my bones so I will never forget where I started my career and I will continue to love the show.” She added her gratitude: “Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary – it’s an honour. See you, Sonia, going but never forgotten.” During an intimate chat on her Life With Nat podcast alongside author Kirsty Gallagher, the beloved TV star hinted that her milestone birthday sparked the realisation that she had been treading the same path for too long, prompting her to seek a significant change. Natalie reflected: “I feel that I’ve been, not in a hole, but I’ve stayed in the same sort of pathway for a long while. I don’t feel I’ve really had a shock but, for me, turning 40 and going ‘is this all I want to do, is this it?’,” reports Plymouth Live. “Am I going to look back when I’m 65 and go ‘oh it’s been really good, but this is all I’ve done’ and I’ve sort of made the jump to change things as well.”
Natalie Cassidy attends the TV Choice Awards
(Image: Dave Benett, Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Cassidy first graced our screens in Albert Square back in 1993, waving goodbye in 2007, only to pop back for a stint from 2010 to 2011, and then making her grand return in 2014. In Tuesday’s nail-biting episode, The Queen Vic pub was rocked by an explosion when Sonia Fowler’s ex, Reiss Colwell (played by Jonny Freeman), rammed his car into the iconic boozer while on the lam after committing murder and abducting Bianca Jackson (the legendary Patsy Palmer). The chaos didn’t stop there; the aftermath saw stalwart Martin Fowler succumb to a heart attack, leaving viewers reeling. Amidst the debris of The Queen Vic, Sonia went into labour, delivering her baby with the aid of half-sister Bianca and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). Tension soared as the newborn turned blue, but relief washed over as the baby cried out, signalling life amidst the destruction. As they were whisked away to safety, a poignant moment unfolded in the ambulance where Sonia whispered to her daughter: “So welcome to the world Julia, it’s all about to begin.”
