Latest news with #MarcHumphreys
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy, 41, looks slimmer than ever as she shows off her physique in a patterned bikini during family trip to Greece
Natalie Cassidy appeared to be in the shape of her life while showcasing her slender frame during a lavish family holiday to Crete on Sunday. The actress, 41, best known for her role as the trumpet playing Sonia Fowler in EastEnders, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her latest trip. Natalie looked incredible as she sunbathed in a green and cream two piece bikini during the idyllic summer break. In another snap, the actress can be seen enjoying some personal time in the pool with her fiancé, cameraman Marc Humphreys. She appeared to be in top spirits during her sunny trip as she shared a smiley selfie while wearing a pair of tinted sunglasses and a white beach dress. Natalie appeared smitten in her post as she lovingly gazed at Marc while they enjoyed an Aperol Spritz. The actress best known for her role as the trumpet playing Sonia Fowler in EastEnders, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her latest trip Alongside her album, she penned: ' Crete. 10 days of pure family time. UNO, clear seas, gorgeous people and beautiful food. 'I love you all so much and feel so blessed. NOT AN AD AT ALL NO DISCOUNTS NO NOTHING but thank you to @_oliverstravels_ as the villa and everything about this break were fabulous. Would recommend them for a trip.' Natalie has recently bagged herself a brand new job at Virgin Radio, ahead of her long-awaited exit from EastEnders after three decades. She has starred as Sonia Fowler on the popular BBC One soap for 32 years, first appearing in 1993 when she was just 10 years old. However, she announced she would be bidding goodbye to Albert Square for good in January after returning last year for the 40th anniversary, with her final scenes set to air on the show on Thursday's episode. But it seems she's already made huge strides with her post-EastEnders career, taking to Instagram on Wednesday to reveal she's taking to the airwaves with her own Easter show. Speaking from the Virgin Radio studios, Natalie told fans that she would be hosting a special one-off show on Easter Monday from 1pm until 4pm. She already has won many fans with her foray into the podcast world with Off The Telly, which she hosts with Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page. Natalie appeared smitten in her post as she lovingly gazed at Marc while they enjoyed an Aperol Spritz Natalie has recently bagged herself a brand new job at Virgin Radio, ahead of her long-awaited exit from EastEnders after three decade Ahead of the show, the soap star explained that she was trying to 'branch out' this year and be 'brave', as she gushed she was 'honoured' to get the opportunity. Natalie said: 'I'm very excited. This year I'm trying to branch out and do brave things, and this is one of them. 'I feel very honoured to have been given a chance on Virgin Radio. I'm a very big fan of the station and music in general. 'So to actually come in and do my own show feels very daunting, but there's a first time for everything.' She added: 'I would love to play Oasis for my first show, just a track, because I love them to pieces. Amy Winehouse is always a good one as well. Valerie, it's a karaoke family classic.' While Dennie Morris, Director of Audio at News Broadcasting said: 'It's an honour to welcome national treasure Natalie Cassidy to Virgin Radio for this special show – and I'm delighted she's such a big fan of the station.' The exciting news comes just one day before EastEnders viewers will have to say farewell to Sonia, with her exit from Walford being shown in the next episode. It will see her father Terry Cant (Glen Davies), return to the Square to invite her and her newborn daughter Julia to go live with him in Bali. Natalie first joined EastEnders in 1993 and remained on the show until 2007, but made returns in 2010 and again last year. It's not the first time she has branched out beyond Albert Square in her career, previously using her breaks from the show to star in theatre productions of The Vagina Monologues and Bedroom Farce. She also released a fitness DVD Natalie Cassidy's Then and Now Workout in 2007 and appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2012. After announcing her departure, she admitted she was 'extremely sad' about the decision to move on and that she would 'never forget' the show. In a statement given to The Sun, she said: '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. '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.' However, she admitted in March that the door has not been permanently closed for Sonia, with the writers allowing the possibility of her making a return. During an appearance on Saturday Kitchen, Natalie confirmed she had not been written out permanently, adding: 'I'm very, very grateful that the door's been left open. You never know. But it's nice to rest characters as well.' Reflecting on her long association with the soap, she said: 'Sonia's been around since 1993. People have grown up with her. It's nice to have a rest.' Referencing her previous eight-year break from the show, she quipped: 'Who knows, maybe another eight years now'. She also spoke about life in the public eye, saying fame was never something she actively pursued, but has become her normal after landing the role of Sonia at 10.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy looks slimmer than ever as she strips off to a bikini on luxury family holiday
NATALIE Cassidy stripped to a palm tree print bikini as she kicked back and relaxed on an idyllic family holiday. The former EastEnders actress, 42, showed off her toned figure in the matching green and cream two-piece, which she paired with a straw hat during her Crete getaway. 6 6 6 Natalie, who played Sonia Fowler in the BBC One soap, looked blissfully relaxed as she stretched out on a hammock, dipping her toe into the private pool below. She read her book as she soaked up the sunshine on what she hailed as "10 days of pure family time." In her gallery, posted to Instagram, Natalie also showcased her toned look as she posed in a brown sun dress with her fiance Marc Humphreys. Other snaps captured them playing card game UNO as they enjoyed drinks in the evening as well as sea swims and tasty Greek food. Natalie and Marc were seen enjoying a hug as they stood in the pool before they were joined by their daughter. In her cheery caption, she wrote: "Crete. 10 days of pure family time. "UNO, clear seas, gorgeous people and beautiful food. I love you all so much and feel so blessed." The screen star then emphasised: "NOT AN AD AT ALL NO DISCOUNTS NO NOTHING but thank you to @oliverstravels as the villa and everything about this break were fabulous. Would recommend them for a trip." TOWIE 's Jess Wright was quick to write: "Love it Nat." Dianne Parish then wrote: "You're all flipping gorgeous," as Patsy Palmer added a series of red love hearts. EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy claims huge pop star used to BULLY her at school and reveals awkward confrontation One fan then gushed: "Bloody gorgeous pics well deserved break for you all." Another posted: "You look beautiful Natalie, you just can't beat family time in the sun, esp with lots of games of UNO xxx" One then added: "Beautiful family. Your daughter is a mini version of you Natalie." Just last month, she looked unrecognisable from her soap character as she glammed up for an event. EastEnders stars who QUIT MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year? The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year. Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998. Yet what about the 2024 exits? Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had "quit" the long-running series. It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen. Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford. Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would "quit out of boredom" over recent storylines. Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame. One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky. He played Stacey Slater's brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel. Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse. Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay 's Netflix movie 6 Underground. Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005. She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008. Natalie was a familiar fan favourite on the BBC One soap until her exit in April after a 32-year stint. She has spoken openly about her weight loss battles and admitted she was offered a bumper pay cheque to release two weight loss DVDs in 2007. Yet after pocketing £100,000 to lose four stone - she put it straight back on. Just last year, Natalie was forced to deny she used diet pills to lose weight. OPENING UP She recently spoke about her marriage to former fiance Adam Cottrell and his relationship with his daughter. Natalie got engaged to the transport manager from Bristol in 2010, but split a year later. During their relationship, Adam was charged with assaulting her and received 120 hours of community service. Natalie later reconciled with him for a brief time as she tried to make it work for the sake of their child Eliza, who they welcomed back in 2010. Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast Life With Nat, the actress was joined by her aunt Linny, where she admitted her relationship with her ex "wasn't a happy one". Discussing her parenting, mum-of-two Natalie said: "We don't raise them the same, of course we don't..." She told her aunt: 'It's a cementing of your marriage, or your life... it's everything… but I didn't have that experience. "I was in a relationship, it wasn't a happy one. "Eliza was my absolute life, but the experience that came with it wasn't a nice one." In 2014, Natalie started a relationship with Marc. They got engaged in 2015 and welcomed their first child Joanie Elizabeth into the world in 2016. 6 6 6
