EastEnders viewers were overjoyed to see an iconic 90s ‘character’ return at the end of last night’s episode.
I am, of course, talking about Sonia Fowler’s (Natalie Cassidy) trumpet.
The brass instrument is woven into the fabric of the character, who departed after 32 years yesterday.
Sonia, alongside sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and daughters Bex (Jasmine Armfield) and Julia drove off into the sunset for a new life in Bali.
Like most soap exits, it didn’t come without a hitch. Son’s abusive, estranged father Terry Cant (Glen Davies) arrived in Walford to make amends with her, but his true colours soon shone through.
After an altercation, the women locked him in their garage before jumping in his hire car and darting off.
Towed along in his speed boat, Bianca and Sonia waved on to their adoring neighbours, but they weren’t alone in the vehicle.
Bianca whipped out the trumpet, asking her sister to give it one last blast before throwing it away when they got to Stansted Airport.
The familiar bars of Julias’t theme then kicked in, and it was clear that this was the end of an era.
Farewell to the Jacksons!
EastEnders viewers were obsessed with Sonia’s trumpet
Fans immediately flocked to social media to describe the ’emotional’ and ‘iconic’ moment.
On X, @01DelBird said: ‘Sonia should have played the ‘Enders theme on her trumpet.’
‘Aww I’m going to miss Sonia and Bianca. And that trumpet’ added @WhatDNeedsTosAY.
@trevorsbrady said: ‘I’ve never been one to care about the Jacksons but Sonia whipping her trumpet out for one last time made me quite emotional.’
@absolutegazelle wrote: ‘There’s honestly nothing more iconic than Sonia picking up her trumpet one final time while she and Bianca go off in a speed boat for their big exit on Eastenders.’
‘Come on, Sonia and the trumpet in a speed boat? Camp perfection! Love that Natalie Cassidy is booked and busy, but I hope Albert Square has Sonia back where she belongs in a few years’ added @RyanJL.
@lgbtcrowley made a very good point: ‘British culture is mad cause how do I explain Sonia and Bianca going off in a speed boat whilst Sonia plays the trumpet.’
The instrument was introduced shortly after the Jackson clan’s arrival in Albert Square, and was purchased by Sonia’s stepfather Alan (Howard Antony).
In 1997, she was escorted to mum Carol (Lindsey Coulson) after being found by a police officer, illegally busking outside of the tube station.
Natalie Cassidy speaks about Sonia’s trumpet
Natalie addressed the importance of the object in her exit interview, telling us that her favourite memory ‘has to be the trumpet.’
‘That’s something that stays with me and that I use throughout my daily life’ she said.
‘It doesn’t matter what show I do, they want to mention Sonia’s trumpet or have me play a trumpet.
‘It’s become an iconic 90s pop culture thing, and I’m very proud of it!’
During an episode of Secrets from the Square in 2020, she told host Stacey Dooley that the idea was ‘brilliant’ and that she has white van drivers shouting ‘Where’s your trumpet?’ to this very day.
