'Extremely sad': Long-time EastEnders star to leave soap after 32 years
EastEnders is to lose one of its longest-running cast members.
Natalie Cassidy has announced that she will leave the soap permanently having played Sonia Fowler for almost 32 years.
Cassidy first appeared on the BBC soap when she was 10 in 1993, and left for the first time in 2007. She returned for a year in 2010, and then again in 2014, since when she has remained a regular fixture on the series.
The actor's exit scenes will coincide with the show's 40th anniversary on 19 February.
Cassidy announced the news in a statement shared with The Sun, reading: '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.
Cassidy continued: 'Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary – it's an honour. See ya, Sonia, going but never forgotten.'
She is believed to have informed bosses she wanted to leave the soap last summer.
After first leaving the soap in 2007, Cassidy appeared in several stage productions, including The Vagina Monologues and The Cherry Orchard.
Later that decade, she released a high-profile fitness DVD and appeared in a supporting role in Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's League of Gentlemen follow-up Psychoville.
She recently appeared on sitcoms Motherland and Mandy, and co-hosts a TV review podcast with Gavin & Stacey actor Joanna Page.
Next month, she will also appear in series two of Daniel Lawrence Taylor's BBC Three hit Boarders.
Cassidy has been in a relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014, and they have one daughter Joanie. Cassidy also has a daughter Eliza with her ex Adam Cottrel.
In EastEnders, Cassidy is pregnant with the baby of killer Reiss Calwell (Jonny Freeman), whose wife she was falsely jailed for murdering.
One of the actor's most famous Sonia moments occurred in 2000 when she gave birth as a 15-year-old without realising she was pregnant.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Stores open at midnight as fans rush to buy Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been released worldwide, with stores opening at midnight so fans could get their hands on the long-awaited console the moment it became available. Some shops have the devices available to buy off the shelf - but in most cases customers have been picking up consoles they had ordered in advance, with UK retailer Currys calling it its "biggest gaming pre-order ever." Despite the excitement there have been some setbacks, with one supplier, Game, cancelling some pre-orders. In the US, Nintendo briefly pulled Switch 2 pre-orders in April over concerns around tariffs before starting again a few weeks later. There are also questions over whether the Switch 2 will match the success of its predecessor - the third-best selling console in history - because of its high game prices. A physical copy of its most high-profile game, Mario Kart World, comes in at £74.99 - £15 more expensive than a typical Switch title. The early signs though are that there is considerable customer interest. Currys told the BBC it had sold 30,000 units - which it attributed to the "incredible excitement" associated with the launch. The original Nintendo Switch has shifted more than 150 million units since its 2017 release. A successor has been in the works for years - so perhaps unsurprisingly Tushar Sandarka, the President of the University of York's Mario Kart society, is among those excited about the launch, and the new version of Mario coming with it. "It's coming out with Mario Kart World - which is the first since 2014 - it's a big deal for us," the 19-year-old said. "Securing a pre-order was such a tough decision because it's so expensive. "Even if it's a bit higher than I would have wanted to pay for it, it's going to serve me well for the next 7 or 8 years." But not everyone the BBC spoke to said they would be picking up the console on launch. Mae and Lottie, both students in York, said they would stick to the original Switch because of the cost. "It's quite spenny," Mae said. "What we've got is fine." Lottie agreed, but said she was disappointed not to play on the new Mario Kart game - which she said could cost her as much as "a day's pay". "I'm not spending that on a game," she said. For Nintendo, the Switch 2 represents a change in strategy - in the past its new devices have been given an entirely new name. "This is the first time Nintendo has ever launched a straight sequel," GamesRadar+ brand director Sam Loveridge told the BBC. "It's a clear proposition for consumers - they know exactly what they're getting from this console if they are familiar with the original Switch." She said "everything is pointing to" pre-orders having sold well. "When pre-orders first went live, it was an absolute scramble to find any stock, but Nintendo was clearly prepared and since those early weeks, it's been a lot easier to secure yourself a console for launch day," she said. I was one of the lucky few to get my hands on the Switch 2 at an event in April. Like its predecessor, it is a "hybrid" console - a handheld device which can also be plugged into a TV to play on the big screen. But it has a bigger and brighter screen, along with lots more power and storage. It still has a bit of innovation - you can use the controller like a computer mouse by twisting it on its side, making PC games such as Civilization VII a more enjoyable experience than using joysticks. But many of the showcase Nintendo games on display at that event - including Metroid Prime 4, Donkey Kong: Bananza, and Super Mario Party Jamboree TV - won't be available at launch. I played the £75 Mario Kart World on Switch 2 - was it worth it? Instead the only new Nintendo game on the new console will be Mario Kart World, barring a small title called Welcome Tour which showcases some of the new hardware. "It might seem like an odd bet, but with the original Mario Kart 8 being the best-selling Wii U game and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe being the best-selling Nintendo Switch game, there's a very established audience there," Ms Loveridge said. The gaming giant is also releasing on day one upgraded versions of the Switch's Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which take advantage of the console's greater power. Beyond that, gamers will have to look to third-party games for alternatives on launch. The range of games includes Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Cyberpunk 2077, and Bravely Default. "This more powerful console offers plenty of opportunities for third-party games publishers bringing Nintendo into more direct competition with Sony and Microsoft," said Katie Holt, senior games industry research analyst at Ampere Analysis . And fans can expect more from third-party games as the console develops too - with Nintendo senior director Takuhiro Dohta telling me he expected games to get even better. "When there are software titles set for the launch of the hardware, the developers still don't fully know the capabilities and hardware well enough," he said. "As developers continue to develop, they start to understand how it works and what it's capable of, so I think we can expect improvements not only in graphics but in gameplay too." Will £75 be the new normal for video games after Switch 2's Mario Kart? Nintendo announces Switch 2 release date - and a new Mario Kart game Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
BBC confirms date for this year's ‘Trooping the Colour: The King's Birthday Parade'
The BBC has confirmed the date for this year's 'Trooping the Colour: The King's Birthday Parade'. With the monarch due to hit 77 later this year, the show will be broadcast on Saturday 14 June 2025, with highlights airing on BBC Two at 7pm and full coverage following later that evening on BBC One at 10.30pm. More than 1,350 soldiers will take part in the ceremonial event, including more than 300 musicians from the Massed Bands and 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards, who will line the processional route along The Mall. This will mark Charles' third Trooping the Colour since his accession to the throne in 2022. The parade has long commemorated the sovereign's official birthday – regardless of the monarch's actual date of birth – and has been a tradition since the 18th century. King Charles was born on 14 November. The BBC is set to dedicate significant airtime to the royal event. Following highlights on BBC Two, 'Trooping the Colour: The King's Birthday Parade' will be shown in full on BBC One, offering audiences across the UK the opportunity to witness one of the year's major state occasions. The parade is expected to draw crowds to central London and will feature a full military display, processions and a flypast. It comes as Charles mourns the death of Major General Sir Christopher Airy, the former private secretary to him and his late wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He passed away aged 91 on 7 April, just three months after the death of his spouse and leaves behind two daughters and a son. Christopher Airy took on the role of Private Secretary and Treasurer to Charles in 1990, when the King was still Prince of Wales. His appointment came after a distinguished 35-year military career, during which he rose to the rank of Major General and commanded the Household Division. He was well known to both Queen Elizabeth II and Charles. Although it is understood he had a cordial relationship with Diana, his tenure in the royal household lasted less than 12 months. According to The Times, he found the wide-ranging structure of Charles's operations challenging. The paper reported: 'He found it difficult to draw lines between the various charities and advisory groups.' He resigned from the role voluntarily and was formally received by Queen Elizabeth II on his departure.
Gizmodo
9 hours ago
- Gizmodo
‘Doctor Who' Utterly Wasted Belinda Chandra
Varada Sethu's addition to the TARDIS was a jolt of energy 'Doctor Who' needed—but it bafflingly transformed her into the modern era's most squandered companion. When the latest season of Doctor Who kicked off, the most exciting thing about it wasn't even its premiere story, or what was being set up to lead towards the season's grand finale: it was the arrival of Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra, promising to shake up the Doctor/companion dynamic in a way it hadn't been in years. But now that the season is over, and Doctor Who lies amid a litany of narrative and production messes lurching towards an uncertain future, one of its biggest of all is just how it completely and utterly wasted Belinda's character. A young nurse balancing the rigorous demands of her career with the sudden tumult of being thrust into a suitably ludicrous Doctor Who narrative—abducted by giant robots and whisked off into space to become a planetary ruler and forcibly thrust into a horrific arranged marriage—Belinda's arrival in 'The Robot Revolution' immediately bucked the trends of most Doctor Who companion debuts, especially in the modern era. After initial moments of fear and hesitation, life in the Doctor's orbit is, more often than not, too mesmerizing to resist: 45 minutes to an hour later everyone from Rose Tyler to Ruby Sunday is ready to step inside the TARDIS, remark on its interior's size, and run straight forward into adventures in time and space. And yet, while Belinda ends up in the blue box just like the rest of them, she challenges the Doctor, both from his own perspective and that of the audience, every step of the way. The Belinda of 'The Robot Revolution' isn't obstinate for the sake of it or anything, but she rightfully pushes the Doctor's assumption that his way, his default of being the person that everyone in the room should listen to unquestionably, isn't the only way. It made for a remarkable chemistry between the Doctor and Belinda, and not just for Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu's own sparkling charisma (the latter certainly cannot be blamed for the narrative choices the show makes with her character), but because you really see them feel out each other over the course of the episode, figuring out where lines are drawn between them—and it's Belinda drawing the lines. The Doctor's charm offensive, which has by and large driven so many of those initial sparks in the companion/Doctor relationship, simply does not work on Belinda. It all culminates in a brilliant final moment in that debut episode to set the tone going forward: calling him out for invading her privacy, for not thinking to ask people consent, for brazenly trying to dazzle her in the same way he'd clearly dazzled many people before her. There is clearly some part of Belinda that likes the Doctor; she's not actively horrified or disdainful of him, but she makes it clear he crosses lines, and the world he operates in (or rather worlds) are dangerous. She wants home, and the only thing that stops that is the fact that they can't get there—the adventures along the way aren't her signing up for this dazzling new life, but a necessity to get what she wants. It's a shame then, that this version of Belinda by and large stops existing halfway through her season of Doctor Who. Of course, she was always going to soften in her appraisal of the Doctor the longer she spent with him, but the show plays an awkward balancing act where both Belinda moves on from this challenging almost inorganically—arguably she is totally fine with traveling with the Doctor by the end of the second episode, 'Lux,' but even after the darkness of 'The Well' an episode later she is truly into the default companion mode—and because the season then also starts suddenly having to balance in dedicating its limited runtime to episodes about Ruby like 'Lucky Day,' or 'The Story and the Engine,' where Belinda is barely part of the narrative. For many of the other thorny narrative issues it has, by the time the season is heading into its endgame in 'The Interstellar Song Contest,' the version of Belinda we get there, where her reaction to the Doctor crossing a distinct moral line in aggressively torturing his 'foe' in Kid, is far from the woman who called him out for scanning her without asking her in 'The Robot Revolution,' willing to effectively rubber-stamp the Doctor's actions as a moment of duress. Which would be disappointing, but fine if Doctor Who replaced that initial skeptical archetype with anything, but instead Belinda is pushed into a void, a generic 'companion.' We don't learn anything about her, really, other than the fact that she wants to get home. But all that is before the real injustice comes in the two-part season finale. In its first part, 'Wish World', Belinda is transformed by the reality imposed by Conrad—the asshole villain weirdo who stalked Ruby in 'Lucky Day'—onto the earth into the Doctor's matronly wife. The reality is presented by the text as aberrant and dystopian, a world where every woman exists to be a good daughter, a good wife to her husband, and then a willing mother dutifully raising the next generation of daughters to follow in that exact same mold. In 'Wish World,' Belinda's one-note definition as mother to her and the Doctor's child, Poppy, is reflective of Conrad's retrograde views about women, filing them down into a single trait that is subservient to a traditionalist, conservative patriarchal power balance. The fact that Belinda, Poppy's mom, is not Belinda, the Doctor's companion that we've followed over the course of this season, is meant to be disturbing, to be something we want her to break free of and recognise the trap she, the Doctor, and the rest of the world in. 'The Reality War' instead decides that reducing Belinda to this singular trait—altered reality or otherwise—is Good, Actually. The second Belinda is freed from Conrad's world, her sole dramatic trait is reminding us that she is Poppy's mother and that that is all that she cares about, regardless of the chaos beginning to unfold around her on the Doctor, to the point that she literally tells him that she can't help him in his fight against the Rani. The episode metaphorically and literally shoves her in a box so Ruby can take on the primary companion role, safeguarding her and Poppy from any reversions to the original reality that might render the latter erased as quickly as she was wished into being. She's only allowed out the box when the day is saved, and again, she reverts to this matriarchal character, both when it initially seems like she, the Doctor, and Poppy might travel together, and then when Poppy vanishes from reality and the Doctor choses to sacrifice his life to bring her back. There is a lot of 'Reality War' that is an absolute mess, but little of it feels quite as insulting as what it does to Belinda's character. Having a character for whom motherhood is important is not the issue here; there is plenty that could've been done with a companion that's a mother (we certainly got a particularly involved version of that with Amy's arc in the Steven Moffat era!). It's that Doctor Who essentially took the Belinda it had—who, by episode count and other narrative decisions, had already been losing her sense of an arc—wiped her clean, and then metaphorically stamped 'mom' on her forehead, and left her like that for the episode's final act. An act that is now our farewell to the character, one that even attempts to retroactively 'reveal' that Belinda's arc was always about returning home to Poppy via a series of flashbacks to prior scenes from the season altered to now have Belinda add 'for Poppy' to the end of every mention of her desire to get back to Earth. That's not an actual character arc, or even an interesting recontextualization that reframes what the audience had already seen in new light. It's a literal re-write of what the audience already saw! After telling us the week prior that it was wrong for Conrad to impose, without consent, a patriarchal gender role on Belinda, Doctor Who itself has the Doctor do exactly that to Belinda, re-write all of reality to make her into a single mom. The Belinda Chandra we met in 'The Robot Revolution' doesn't exist any more, not just because the show whittled down her character into nothingness, but because the show concludes her arc by rewriting her existence so that that Belinda never existed in the first place. There's even a dark mirror in the final moments of that arc, when the Doctor does exactly to Poppy what he did to Belinda in the climax of 'The Robot Revolution': medically scan her with his alien technology without a single thought to ask if he was allowed to first. It's just that this time not only does Belinda not challenge him, she doesn't react at all. She is 'just' Poppy's mother now, with no thought or feeling given to her beyond that description. Again, a having a female character to whom being a parent is important is not the issue with what Doctor Who did with Belinda. There were so many ways the series could've given this ending to her storyline and actually organically laid out a path to it across the season. Perhaps have her slowly realize over time that something, someone is missing from her memories of her life on Earth, to struggle with the feeling that she has to get back to Earth as soon as possible while not fully grasping why, to eventually play with the reality manipulation that the finale hangs its dramatic stakes on. Instead, the show started with a completely different idea and dynamic for her—one brimming with potential it almost immediately decided not to capitalize on—before slowly but surely pushing her further and further to the fringes of its priorities over the course of the season. Belinda was never given the chance to grow and change over her time in the TARDIS, to challenge, and to be challenged by, life at the Doctor's side. Her final ending was just the last nail in a coffin Doctor Who had been building for Belinda's character as we'd known her in that first episode for a while, whether that was its narrative intent or otherwise—and ultimately just one extra failure to add to the season's list of many.
