Soap legend Natalie Cassidy shocked fans with her decision to step away from EastEnders after 32 years. She has played her iconic character Sonia Fowler on and off since she was just 10-years-old. The actress has been involved in her fair share of dramatic story lines over the years, including feuds, deaths, teenage pregnancy and cancer. In a surprise move, Natalie has announced the end of her soap journey with an ambiguous statement.

At present, Sonia is pregnant with killer Reiss Colwell’s unborn baby, unaware he was the one who killed off his ex-wife. Unfortunately, Sonia was charged with the grizzly crime, but a jury found her not guilty of murder after Reiss produced a clip of her sister Bianca confessing to the murder. Natalie hasn't shared any details about what is in store for Sonia in the coming weeks, but the actress has been more open about her own life...

While announcing her departure from the long-running soap, Natalie was cryptic about what’s in store for her when filming wraps, simply saying she was off to 'pastures new'. She said: "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.

"Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary – it’s an honour." She affectionately added: "See ya, Sonia, going but never forgotten.". After 32 years playing Sonia, it looks like Natalie fancies a new acting challenge and broaden her horizons. The soap legend appeared on beloved BBC comedy Motherland in 2021, hinting at her readiness for new challenges by portraying Ms Vaughn in the School Trip episode.

Natalie also appeared in BBC's comedy Mandy in 2020 as Donna Bell and has since enjoyed stints as a guest panelist on ITV's Loose Women, showcasing her versatility and hinting at further projects in the pipeline. In July last year, word got out that she'd be stepping away from Albert Square to host Channel 4’s new lifestyle programme What's The Big Deal?. The actress, along with Alan Cumming, will be joining the second series of Boarders, which is set to air later this year on BBC.

While she’s been part of the soap for such a long time, she’s also starred in other TV shows and released various fitness videos over the years. She is also a busy mum-of-two and has been in a relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014. The pair haven’t planned their wedding day yet despite being engaged for a while. Natalie recently addressed what has been holding her back as she appeared on the Memory Lane podcast with Jen Brister and Kerry Godliman. She stated: "Do you know what? It's a lot of money. No, I tell you what it is; it's time and budget. It is because I go, 'I'll only do something small; I don't need to...'".

"I will do it small, but I want to be at The Ledbury. Oh, I want a Michelin star meal or I'm just a bit of a snob genuinely. I'll want the best flowers, and I will want a designer suit," Natalie explained. Last year, the star admitted to having "mum guilt" while juggling her career with raising her daughters, Eliza and Joanie. "I get mum guilt all the time 100 per cent," she told OK!. "And I think that's why we need to talk about it more. I don't think you understand until you have children. People saying, 'Don't have children if you want a career' is ridiculous. It's an ignorant thing to say. We're not living in the 1950s, Dad doesn't go to work while Mum stays at home. But we don't have the infrastructure to support families who need to work. The childcare right now just doesn't work. So all of that needs to be looked at and changed.".