EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy has shared an issue with her memory, which she believes is linked to her long-term acting career.
Cassidy is best known for her role as Sonia Fowler on the soap, which she has played on-and-off for more than 30 years. After arriving in Walford in 1993, Sonia has been at the centre of many key storylines, including teenage pregnancy, disastrous relationships and a murder trial.
But while her character has become an EastEnders legend, Cassidy has shared a downside to the iconic role.
Related: EastEnders guest star Keith Allen confirms previous role he nearly played
In a recent episode of her podcast Life With Nat, the actor and her brother Tony discussed their childhood memories and were praised by a listener for their close relationship.
"I love how family-oriented you are and how [Tony] tells you snippets of your childhood that you don't know," read the message.
What to Read Next
Explaining the gaps in her memory, Cassidy replied: "Well, that's because I don't remember much. I don't know if that's good or not, Hayley, to be honest."
Related: Best streaming services
"My memory has shot to pieces and that's because when I learn lines at EastEnders... I feel all my life, I learn something and I throw it away."
Speaking about her acting process, the star shared: "I genuinely believe that there are different muscles in the brain, and I really believe I've been trained to do something to then just throw it away."
"Maybe that'll change now. I don't retain much," she added, referencing her upcoming exit from the soap. "But I love it when Tony or David [her other brother] or anyone really says 'Oh, do you remember when this happened?' and I don't remember, so it's like a new story."
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
