It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else playing any of the characters in Gavin & Stacey, but one EastEnders star has revealed just how close she came to being in the hit sitcom.
Natalie Cassidy – best known to millions of soap fans as Walford’s Sonia Fowler – has told of how she auditioned for the part of Smithy’s sister Rudi.
The character was eventually brought to life by Sheridan Smith, who made sporadic appearances throughout the second and third series of Gavin & Stacey’s original 2007 to 2010 run, before reprising the role for a cameo in the 2024 Christmas special.
Speaking to TV Times, Natalie, 41, revealed she was ‘gutted’ to lose out on the role.
The actress recalled: ‘James Corden phoned me up and said “we’ve got this idea…” You just have to give it your best shot.
‘Sometimes you get stuff and sometimes you don’t.’
Natalie still has a connection to the Gavin & Stacey universe, however, as she hosts the BBC podcast Off The Telly with Joanna Page, who plays Stacey Shipman in the show.
She previously told of how the audition didn’t go to plan on the podcast, saying last month: ‘Can I tell you a secret…? I auditioned for the part of Smithy’s sister.
‘I told you [Joanna] but I’ve not said it out loud. I went up Oxford Street into Baby Cow. Did all my read with James and didn’t go to plan, unfortunately.’
Natalie joined EastEnders as a child in 1993 and has continued to be part of the cast on-and-off ever since.
The actress took an extended break from the Square last year to pursue other projects.
One of those will hit screens next month when she appears in the second series of BBC comedy-drama Boarders.
She had a guest role as a teacher in the show, which follows five school students from London after winning scholarships to the elite boarding school St. Gilbert’s.
Season one of Boarders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now, with series two dropping on Monday 3 February.
