Former EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy has opened up about the surprisingly ordinary career path she considered after departing the long-running BBC soap earlier this year.
From Albert Square to the Supermarket Aisle
The 42-year-old star, best known for playing Sonia Fowler for an impressive 32 years, confessed in a new interview that she contemplated applying for a role on the checkouts at Marks and Spencer. Cassidy described the idea of chatting with customers all day as a appealing change of pace.
"I actually have thought about doing a Sunday afternoon on the till at M&S," she told The Mirror. "It would be brilliant. I'd have to be on till number 13 because that is my lucky number." She added with a laugh, "I would love it but I don't think you can just do one day though."
The bubbly performer went even further, stating, "I love M&S. If I wasn't doing this acting I'd be working in Marks probably." This revelation highlights her desire for a slice of everyday life after decades in the spotlight of Walford.
A Rocky Road After the Soap
However, Cassidy's transition to life after EastEnders has not been without its professional setbacks. Two of her new shows have been axed within six months of her soap exit.
Her latest Channel 4 consumer series, What's The Big Deal?, is reportedly unlikely to be renewed after failing to attract sufficient viewers. Speaking candidly about the show's axing, Natalie said, "I don't think it went down very well, if I'm honest. I don't think it will come back. At the moment, there is no talk of it. But I loved it and it was a great experience for me to do."
This blow followed the cancellation of her first major post-EastEnders project, the BBC podcast Off The Telly, which she co-hosted with Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page. During a literary festival in Somerset, she confirmed the BBC had second thoughts, saying, "We had a laugh doing it and it is a shame the pod ended. I don't think it will be back."
Finding Liberation and a New Look
Despite these challenges, Cassidy has found profound personal freedom since leaving the show. She described the experience as "liberating" and even noted a physical change in her appearance.
"It was amazing when I got to reinvent myself after leaving EastEnders," she told Prima magazine. "Sonia isn’t the most glamorous of characters, bless her... But coming away, and breaking free, I just thought, 'I want to be glam. I want to wear coloured nails. And just feel like me.'"
She believes the emotional toll of playing Sonia for so long was visible, adding, "I do feel like my face has changed a little since leaving EastEnders... I feel like my frown lines have sort of faded away, which is quite nice!"
Natalie Cassidy's journey reflects the complex reality for actors leaving iconic roles, blending dreams of normalcy with the navigation of a fickle entertainment industry, all while rediscovering her own identity beyond the Square.
