Former EastEnders favourite Natalie Cassidy has made a surprising revelation about the ordinary job she dreamed of taking on after departing Albert Square.
From Albert Square to the Checkout Aisle
The actress, who played Sonia Fowler for 32 years, confessed she seriously contemplated applying for a role as a checkout assistant at Marks and Spencer. The 42-year-old said the idea of working on a till and chatting with customers offered a refreshing contrast to her life in showbusiness.
"I actually have thought about doing a Sunday afternoon on the till at M&S," Natalie admitted. "It would be brilliant. I'd have to be on till number 13 because that is my lucky number." She added with affection for the retailer: "I love M&S. If I wasn't doing this acting I'd be working in Marks probably."
Family First: The Non-Negotiable Priority
Since leaving the BBC soap in April 2025, offers have flooded in for the star. However, she insists her family – partner Marc Humphreys and their daughters Eliza, 15, and Joanie, nine – always comes first.
She turned down both Celebrity Race Across The World and a Channel 5 detective series because the filming commitments would have taken her away from home for too long. "Family comes first with me," she stated firmly.
Describing her dynamic with Marc, she said: "We work like Yin and Yang. If he was 100 miles an hour like me it just would not work so he is Mr Laid Back."
New Chapters: Documentaries, Books and Honouring the Past
Natalie has certainly not been idle. She fronted a consumer series for Channel 4 called What's The Big Deal? in summer 2025 and is preparing for a Spring 2026 BBC documentary where she trains to become a carer. She has even completed a Level 3 NVQ in health and social care for the role.
Alongside filming, she runs her Life With Nat podcast and has spent the past year promoting her unique autobiography, Happy Days. The book structures memories around the days of the week, blending joy with grief.
She opens up about losing her mother on a Monday when she was just 19, and her father four years ago. "I don't think it matters when you lose your parents, it's being an orphan that is really really hard," she shared. Some topics, like her past relationship with Adam Cottrell, remain private out of respect for her children.
Despite new ventures, Natalie embraces her enduring link to Sonia Fowler. "I think people fell in love with the character from the beginning," she reflected. "It's become iconic and that is lovely... I feel very honoured just to be known for those things."
Natalie Cassidy: Happy Days is out now, published by HarperCollins.
