EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has teased a potential return for Sonia Fowler, following her emotional exit last year. The actor bid farewell to Albert Square in April 2025, after playing the soap character on-and-off since 1993.
Sonia's departure storyline saw her tying up loose ends in Walford, as she decided to embark on a new adventure in Bali with her daughters Bex and Julia and her sister Bianca.
In her final scenes, Sonia headed off into the sunset in a speedboat, which was attached to her getaway car. With Bex behind the wheel, Sonia and Bianca waved goodbye to the Square, with Sonia playing the trumpet in a hilarious nod to her iconic instrument.
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In an article for The Guardian, Cassidy described her exit as "a lovely, funny send-off", but explained that she left the soap in order to be more present in her children's lives.
"I won't miss the relentless schedule – having to skip the kids' assemblies, never being able to book a doctor's appointment or make plans with friends.
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"This industry isn't very friendly for mums, and I want to be home a lot more now," she said.
Despite this, the actor didn't rule out a return to EastEnders in the future, and hinted that she may return to her beloved character.
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"A lot of actors are very bitter about their soap origins... I just see a character who has given me so much.
"That's why I've been able to leave again in a really amicable manner, and why maybe I'll go back once more. I love Sonia, and the trumpet. All of her is a part of me."
Since her exit, Cassidy has gone back to education in order to train as a carer, after helping to look after her father before his death. The star's new documentary series Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and sees her learning the ropes of the field alongside health and social care professionals.
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.
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