Natalie Cassidy’s first role since leaving EastEnders & being poached by rival channel revealed – and its only days away
EASTENDERS legend Natalie Cassidy has wasted no time lining up her next gig after leaving Albert Square – and fans won’t have to wait long to see it.
The actress, best known for playing Sonia Fowler, has been snapped up by a rival channel for an exciting new role – and it’s set to hit screens in just days!
Fresh off her EastEnders exit, Natalie Cassidy is heading to Channel 4 to front a brand-new consumer show – and it’s all about uncovering the truth behind the latest must-have trends.
The four-part series, What’s The Big Deal?, will see Natalie put the nation’s most hyped-up products to the test, from ice baths to teeth whiteners.
With the help of scientists, nutritionists, and industry insiders, plus six British households giving their no-nonsense verdicts, Natalie will separate the real game-changers from the gimmicks.
Natalie said: “I am looking forward to getting to ask questions we all want answers to, about must-have products.
“Like all of us, I love to try the latest things.
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“But as a busy mum, what I really want to know is what lives up to the claims and what is the best deal.”
The actress quit her role as Sonia Fowler after more than 30 years on the BBC soap opera with her final scenes expected to play out over the next few weeks.
Opening up about her exit, Natalie revealed that she is glad to be free of the "burden" that comes with working on a soap.
She was speaking to her co-host Joanna Page on the duo's BBC Sounds podcast Off The Telly.
Discussing her brand new hair-do, Natalie said: "It is nice to have a little bit of length and feel a bit different from Sonia.
"The burden of learning lines every night has gone which is a really lovely thing.
"I feel like I've finally got the evenings back."
As Joanna quizzed if she was forgetting if she'd actually left or not, Nat said: "No I'm not forgetting.
"At the moment it is early days and you always miss the people and miss your friends but I am not missing the work."
Sonia Fowler’s biggest EastEnders storylines
Sonia Fowler has featured in EastEnders since 1993, and after starring in thousands of episodes, has been featured in storylines ranging from teenage pregnancy to a cancer scare. Here are some of her biggest.
- Teen Pregnancy and Birth of Chloe Jackson (1999-2000)
Sonia discovered she was pregnant at the age of 15. Viewers were shocked by the sudden birth, as the teen went into labour without even realising she was pregnant. Martin Fowler turned out to be Chloe's father. Sonia initially decided to give the girl up for adoption. - Death of her boyfriend (2002)
Sonia's boyfriend, Jamie Mitchell, was hit by a car driven by her baby's father. Jamie had just bought an engagement ring for his girlfriend before being struck down by the thoughtless Martin, who was texting while driving. Although the Jamie was rushed to hospital, docs said his liver was irreparably damaged, and he ended up dying with Sonia by his side. - Marriage to Martin Fowler and Family Tensions (2004-2007)
In a shock twist Sonia went on to marry the man responsible for her previous boyfriend's death. Their relationship was marred by conflicts and infidelity, and they went on to split up after just three years. At one point in their marriage Sonia was taken hostage by Sarah Cairns, who became obsessed with Martin after he flirted with her during a drunken night out. The couple went through struggles again when the adoptive parents of their daughter were killed in a car crash, leaving them responsible for Rebecca. Because of the tension in their relationship Sonia ended up cheating on her husband with one of her co-workers, nurse Naomi Julien. - Custody Battle for Rebecca (2005-2007)
Baby Chloe, who was renamed Rebecca, was kidnapped by her mum early in life before being returned to her adoptive parents. After Neil and Sue Miller died they awarded Martin full custody of the child because of Sonia's extra-marital affair. The mum was left distraught to be cut out of her daughter's life. - Gastric Band Surgery and Weight Struggles (2014-2015)
Sonia became insecure about her weight and arranged to have a secret gastric band surgery in Bulgaria. She later collapsed at an exercise class after suffering complications from the operation. - Discovery of Bex's Suicide Attempt (2019)
Sonia's daughter Rebecca tried to take her own life in a heartbreaking storyline which left viewers in tears. She found Bex unconscious after taking an overdose, and was devastated. Sonia blamed herself for pushing her daughter to breaking point, as she had tried to force her into going to Oxford despite Bex saying she didn't feel ready for university.
Sonia was at the centre of drama on the show last month thanks to being central to the programme's 40th anniversary celebrations.
She gave birth to evil killer Reiss Colwell's baby, whom she named Julia, during the show's live episode.
But whilst Natalie is happy with her decision to quit the show for now, she has already waged war on soap bosses if they dared to recast.
She said: “If they recast Sonia, I’m going to Borehamwood [where the show is shot] with a sledgehammer.
“I feel very protective about Sonia.
“She could die off screen, though.
"We could be watching it one night and you know the old phone call: Cathy runs in saying, ‘Ian, I’ve just had a message, Sonia’s dead’.
"That could easily happen.
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“But I do hope, like for the 50th anniversary, that I could pop back.”
What’s The Big Deal? airs on Friday 4th April at 8pm on Channel 4.