EastEnders? I WOULD GO BACK

Actor Natalie Cassidy on leaving the Square, fitness and family life

- JANE ODDY

It has been a whirlwind few months for Natalie Cassidy since she left BBC soap EastEnders in April, after playing Sonia Fowler on and off for 32 years. In the emotional scenes, Sonia, her daughters and her sister Bianca Jackson, played by Patsy Palmer, headed off to Bali from Albert Square after stealing Sonia’s father’s plane tickets, car and boat.

But Natalie, 42, is keeping busy. Her memoir, Happy Days, has just been published and she is on a UK book tour this month. And in between all this, she juggles family life - her children Eliza, 15, with ex-fiancé Adam Cottrell, and Joanie, nine, from her relationship with cameraman Marc Humphreys, 39, who she met on EastEnders in 2014. They got engaged in 2015 but are yet to announce the big day.

How are things, Nat? How are you feeling since leaving EastEnders?

That’s good to hear! I think it’s growing up in people’s living rooms for such a long time. Viewers have a soft spot for Sonia. Being 10 and having grown up on screen, I think people like that. I didn’t cry at my leaving party and I felt guilty about that! But I felt really ready to have a break. And when you're free you can say yes to things. Lots of bits and pieces have come in - it’s really lovely.

What were your standout storylines?