Natalie Cassidy, best known for playing Sonia Fowler in EastEnders, has opened up about her regret over a dramatic four-stone weight loss transformation that she undertook for a fitness DVD deal. The 40-year-old actress admitted that the £100,000 deal was a 'mistake' as she quickly regained all the weight after the DVD's release.
Speaking on the Comfort Eating with Grace Dent podcast in August 2022, Cassidy revealed that she was approached to lose the weight in just three to four months through low-calorie dieting and daily training. 'I got there, and as soon as that DVD came out, I ate for England. I put all the weight back on in eight weeks,' she said.
Cassidy also reflected on being fat-shamed during her time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009. She recalled being asked to lift her dance partner Vincent Simone, which she now views as 'out of order'. At the time, she was about four stone heavier than her current weight.
In 2019, Cassidy found a healthier approach to weight loss after training for the London Marathon. She lost three stone and developed a balanced, low-GI diet while swearing off takeaways. A source told Now magazine that running helped both her body and mental health.
The actress previously admitted that her desire to lose weight was so extreme that she was 'bordering on having an eating disorder', once taking laxatives after meals. However, she now feels more comfortable in her own skin, stating, 'You get wiser as you get older and I just feel much more confident and comfortable.'
