Natalie Cassidy addresses marrying fiancé of 10 years after quitting EastEnders

Natalie and Marc have been engaged for 10 years(Image: instagram.com/natcass1)

While she remains deeply in love with Marc, who was a camera supervisor on the soap’s live 40th anniversary episode, Natalie admits she’s still career focused and would prioritise new work opportunities over planning the big day. Having said that, she explains, “It’s important. If you’re getting good opportunities you can’t turn them down, but I feel like you can just balance the diary a little bit more because EastEnders is such a huge machine you have to plan around.”

Sonia is still on-screen preparing for the funeral of her ex-husband Martin Fowler (James Bye). However, Natalie has already left the set following an emotional leaving party. “I’ve only been gone a few weeks so it feels a bit like I’m still on holiday but it’s just really nice,” says Natalie. “It’s going to be a good change.”

When she left, Natalie’s friends on the show gave her a special gift to commemorate one of Sonia’s iconic storylines – learning the trumpet as a teenager. “I had a really nice leaving do,” says Natalie. “Everybody was there, all the crew, costume, make-up and friends that I’ve known for a very long time. We had a really nice evening and they gave me a lovely little necklace with a trumpet on.”

Natalie loves working with Patsy Palmer who plays her sister Bianca(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Natalie also took another keepsake to remind her of her decades on the soap. “I took the plaque off my dressing room door,” she says. “It’s emotional because you miss the people but it’s time to have a change. I’m very glad I’ve made that decision and that they’ve left the door open for me.”

After successful comedy turns in Diane Morgan’s Mandy and BBC One hit Motherland, Natalie dreams of a role in a classic sitcom. And she’s already bagged a role in BBC Three’s teen comedy Boarders. “I love comedy or even an old-fashioned kind of sitcom,” says Natalie. “Amandaland is out at the moment. I think they should bring back studio sitcoms, I just love a bit of comedy.”

Another dream role is a travelogue with Patsy Palmer, who has become a close pal after playing her sister Bianca for over three decades. “I always say that me and Patsy should do something because we are like real sisters,” says Natalie. “So it would be great to do a travelogue with us travelling around together.”

EastEnders bosses made good use of Natalie before she left the soap, writing incredible scenes for Sonia in the 40th anniversary live episode, which was watched by 3.7 million people. During the episode pregnant Sonia became trapped in The Queen Vic following an explosion, before giving birth on the floor. “It was brilliant,” grins Natalie. “It was a real challenge being asked to give birth on-screen live but it was an honour.

Natalie has been in EastEnders since she was just 10 years old(Image: BBC)

“We had the most incredible time because it changed into a different job. Normally you’re churning out 16 scenes a day, bang, bang, bang, whereas with this we had 10 days to really concentrate on that one episode and rehearse it. It was a really lovely bubble to be in. It just felt like a really good time to say goodbye.”

Now Natalie is shaking off Sonia for good with some hair extensions, highlights and a manicure. “I’ve had some lovely extensions put in my hair, which I’ve not been able to do for a long time,” says Natalie. “I’ve got a little bit more length in it, and I’ve gone a bit lighter with a few red and blonde shades. It is very different to Sonia, and I’ve had my nails done. It feels lovely to be that little bit more me.”

While she might not be on-screen, Natalie will always be an EastEnders viewer. “I’ll always miss Sonia, but I’m going to watch the show,” says Natalie. “I’m a huge fan of the show itself. Me and my daughter Eliza love watching it. I’ll watch all my friends and keep in touch with everybody. And Sonia’s never too far away.”

Natalie wears a glowing LED face mask on her new TV show(Image: Ashley Golder)

Striking out in a new direction, Natalie has now filmed a new series called What’s The Big Deal: Britain’s Best Buys? for Channel 4, investigating the UK’s most talked-about products and finding out whether they’re worth the hype. Viral products like LED face masks, ice baths, packing cubes and lion’s mane mushrooms are put to the test by Natalie and a panel of six families.

“We all sit and look at things and buy things we don’t need so it’s nice to have a really deep delve into it to see if it’s really worth it,” says Natalie. “It’s about those one-click purchases!” Natalie investigates some big ticket items but it’s one of the smaller products that’s changed her own life. “In one of the episodes we do vegetable choppers and I thought, ‘Is that a bit boring?’ But there are so many different ones!” says Natalie. “I love cooking but I’m left-handed and I actually cut really badly so when I do an onion it just takes me forever. As soon as we filmed the vegetable chopping box, I went straight online and bought one. It’s changed my life, it’s a lifesaver.”

The EastEnders live episode saw Natalie’s character Sonia give birth in an exploded Queen Vic

To help consumers decide what to spend their money on, Natalie endures ice baths, goes make-up free to have her wrinkles examined and even lets experts measure her body fat as she investigates body fat scales. “I think it’s really refreshing for someone on the telly to jump on the scales and show their body fat and I’m not sure everyone would do that,” laughs Natalie. “I thought it was good for women to see. The BMI thing is ridiculous.

“In this day and age, I’m actually under average weight but I’m practically obese on a BMI scale. The body fat thing is mad. People get ruled by scales and we shouldn’t.”