Why Natalie Cassidy will make millions after EastEnders exit…tipped for I’m a Celeb & lined up as ‘next Stacey Solomon’
The star has opened up dozens of options as she leaves the soap
AFTER 30 years of playing EastEnders icon Sonia Fowler, Natalie Cassidy is finally exiting Albert Square.
The soap favourite is set to written out amid the explosive 40th anniversary episodes, next week, and Sonia may even by k.i.l.l.e.d off.
But could she be about to blow the doors open on a whole new empire?
From soap star to business mogul, Natalie has the fame, the fanbase and the experience to cash in big now she’s free from Albert Square.
The opportunities are endless, whether it’s a tell-all book, a fitness empire, or even her own lifestyle brand.
Mother of two Natalie, 41 – who has been in a relationship with cameraman Marc Humphries for 11 years – has reinvented herself before, now it’s time for her biggest transformation yet.
She has already cashed in on her newfound freedom by appearing on ITV’s The Masked Singer – being unveiled as Bush last weekend.
As she leaves behind three decades of soap stardom, we’ve asked culture and brands expert Nick Ede to reveal exactly how Natalie can make this her most successful move yet.
He predicts her income is about to shoot up now she is free from the restrictions of the BBC, which bans stars from commercial deals.
“I think she could make more and more”, he says. “Obviously EastEnders gives a really good salary and shows like Strictly, which she did in 2009, pay very well.
“But away from the BBC she can now do endorsement deals and commercial deals. She can utilise her following on social media to promote stuff.
“I know she’s going to be hosting a couple of documentaries for Channel 4, which is quite interesting because people like her.
“They love her banter, her sense of humour, and also her lifestyle hacks as well.
“She’s going to be even more famous and making a couple more millions in the next few years.”
Branching out
A generation of soap fans has grown up with Sonia but Nick says Natalie can now branch out to tackle other big projects.
He explains: “She is a really good actress and she’s been in the same role for so long so she probably wants to show off her versatility.
“She does not want to be typecast and be seen as just Sonia. It’s a good opportunity to look at other TV roles, or perhaps go on the stage.
After her appearance on other shows such as Psychoville and Mandy, Nick reckons it’s time Natalie added more titles to her CV.
“People expect her to be a cockney girl but I’m sure she can put on a good accent. I see her getting a role in a Bridgerton-type show.
“You look at someone like Michelle Keegan, who was on a soap and now is doing so well. There are lots of opportunities for Natalie to be seen in a different light and for people to carry on loving her.
“From a theatre point of view, people might want to see her in a show so I can imagine her playing a character in a West End performance.
“It would be really good for her, to do something like Cheryl did when she went into the Ghost Story, popping in for a few months but making a big impact.”
I’m A Celeb future
Away from acting, Natalie has already appeared on reality TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, where she placed fifth in 2009, and 2012’s edition of Celebrity Big Brother where she was the fifth star to get the boot.
And last weekend she shocked the nation with her incredible singing voice when she was the latest celebrity to ‘take it off’ on The Masked Singer.
Nick says other exciting shows will be willing to pay Natalie a good appearance fee.
He says: “She’s done reality television before and that’s something that makes money. And it’s great for leveraging careers.
“She has done Strictly but hasn’t done I’m A Celebrity so maybe that could be next.
“There’s a new show on Netflix called Bear Hunt, which has lots of stars so that could be an opportunity, if that does really well.
Having already fronted Channel 4’s Becoming Mum, Nick also sees “lots of opportunities for her to front documentaries.”
He adds: “Recently, we’ve seen Amanda Holden and Alan Carr do one, and that’s such a successful show. Pairing Natalie with somebody would be perfect.
“I see her big personality coming out in a docuseries about things she really loves.’
Nick also predicts publishers will be queuing up to sign her.
“She could write her autobiography and other stuff too. She’s all about home hacks, like Stacey Solomon. I can see that being lucrative for her, talking about how to save money and how to live a better life.
“People really believe her and they trust what she says.”
Lucrative deals
To avoid conflicts of interest and impartiality, stars of the BBC are generally restricted when it comes to major endorsement deals.
However, Natalie could see a spike in her income now she is set to leave EastEnders.
Nick says: “The BBC doesn’t allow these kinds of big buck endorsements but now that she’s free from that, it means she can look at various brands that might really want to use her.
“They could use her for advertising, for brand work, and that can be very lucrative for her. Lifestyle brands would be great, whether that is a John Lewis or maybe McCain or even a supermarket.
“She could also be the face of a cleaning product. I can see her being an ambassador for a cruise line or an insurance brand. I feel like she’s really trusted and liked. People would want to live the life she’s lived.”
Hollywood break
Over the years, several UK soap stars have attempted to break the elusive yet lucrative American market.
Nick believes it’s not too late to join the small number of actors who have been able to make it stateside.
He says: “Never say never. There are so many stars who you don’t think would ever make America, and they have done it. We’ve seen Rob Kazinsky, who was in EastEnders many years ago. He has become a big star.
Why Natalie Cassidy is leaving EastEnders
NATALIE Cassidy surprised fans when she shared that she is leaving EastEnders this year.
In a statement, she said: “I feel extremely sad to be writing this, but also very excited,’ she said in a statement at the time.
“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.”
In her first interview since announcing her decision, she told The Sun on Sunday: ”
“I’m 42 this year, I just feel like it’s time to be brave.
“You don’t want to get to 70 and think, ‘I never tried that’.
“I’ve loved this programme with all my heart. I started at ten, it’s in my bones, it’s in my heart.”
Speaking about how her character, Sonia will bow out, she said: “I’ve got to remember in my head that when, as an actress, you make a decision to leave a show like this, you can’t hypothesise or worry about what’s going to happen to your character.
“That is down to the boss and the storyliners as the fate of Sonia is in their hands. I’ve had to take a deep breath, and go, ‘I’ve made my decision, I’ve just got to let it play out’.
“You could imagine maybe Guy Ritchie approaches her to get her in The Gentleman sequel or something like that. Natalie is a very ambitious person, but she’s very down to earth and very likeable, and that’s both on and off-screen.
“She would be a refreshing change to the big Hollywood divas’ scandals we hear. It’s never too late for her to crack America.”
Podcast queen
With podcasts now a popular way to reach audiences and make some cash, Natalie seems to have understood the formula.
The star currently has two podcasts – a solo one called Life With Nat and another with actress and presenter Joanna Page titled Off the Telly.
Nick believes she is on the cusp of expanding her podcasts.
He explains: “Podcasts now are much bigger than just something you listen to. I can imagine her taking it on the road and doing really well with that. They make a lot of money.
“But they’re also a great way for her to relate to her audience. She could do a live podcast with a theatre full of like-minded people coming to see her.
“I imagine that might be one of her next steps quite soon.”
In the past, we’ve seen Natalie venture into the fitness world to release workout DVDs such as The Perfect Ten and the Then & Now Work Out.
She has also been candid about her fitness journey and her challenges – but Nick believes she will now focus on lifestyle hacks.
As a mother-of-two, she will be able to give insights that could be essential to others.
He says: “I think she’ll go for hacks. She’s so down-to-earth and honest. She could be talking about things that matter to her and matter to other women in her position too.
“I think that’s why she’s so relatable – she can turn herself into anything.”
‘National treasure’
After more than three decades playing Sonia, Nick believes Natalie’s decision to leave EastEnders is the right choice for her.
“For any actor who has been on a show like that for so long and is probably making a good salary and is the nation’s sweetheart, it’s a massive decision”, he says.
“Lots of stars have left soaps and they’ve suddenly come back or they make the decision to leave and they are k.i.l.l.e.d off. They then don’t get the work they thought they were going to get.
“So this is a really important decision for her, but I think for someone like Natalie, who has become a national treasure and is pretty iconic, this is probably a good thing for her.
“It allows her to spread her wings. We’ve seen how funny she is with her podcast and there’s a lot more to Natalie than meets the eye. And I think we are going to learn that very soon.”
Natalie’s ability to resonate with fans has been one of her biggest selling points. Nick believes it will help propel her to higher heights.
He says: “Most people have grown up with her over these past years so they feel like they’ve been around her for so long.
“They’ve experienced her as a soap character and her family life and her personal life. We all feel like we can relate to her. I think what’s great about her is that she’s never been particularly controversial.
“She’s always been somebody that’s quite down to earth. She’s never pretended to be anything else. And I think people find that refreshing.
“We talk about authenticity – she’s probably the most authentic star out there and that’s what makes her so appealing.”
Natalie has already established herself as an icon with a huge legacy attached to her name. However, Nick believes she’s only just beginning.
He says: “She has become part of the nation’s fibre. She’s someone that we saw when she was really young as Sonia playing the trumpet and hanging out with her brother and Willard, the dog.
“Hopefully, she’s going to get some recognition”, Nick says. “She will definitely get it from the Soap Awards. I hope she’ll get something at the NTA.
“She absolutely deserves it, but remember, this is just the end of one chapter, but she’s got a whole new chapter, which I think is going to be really exciting.
“I cannot wait to see what she does next.”
