Natalie Cassidy's real reason for quitting EastEnders as she reveals Sonia's exit story

Natalie Cassidy announced she would beryllium leaving her relation of Sonia Jackson connected the BBC soap, leaving fans devastated arsenic she departs her relation aft 3 decades

Natalie Cassidy has opened up astir her exit from EastEnders.

The histrion has decided to discontinue the BBC soap aft implicit 30 years playing Sonia Jackson. It is not known however Sonia volition permission the amusement but determination person been theories she could dice arsenic portion of the soap's 40th anniversary.

Sonia has been portion of immoderate immense storylines, astir precocious astir ending up successful situation for the execution of Reiss' woman Debbie, which we cognize Reese really committed successful a bid to get escaped of his woman - who was successful a coma - for good.

Speaking astir her exit, Natalie revealed she can't "worry" astir what volition hap to her character. It has been confirmed she volition play a large portion successful the soap's milestone anniversary, but however it happens remains to beryllium seen.

"I've got to retrieve successful my caput that when, arsenic an actress, you marque a determination to permission a amusement similar this, you can’t hypothesise oregon interest astir what’s going to hap to your character," she told The Sun connected Sunday, "That is down to the brag and the storyliners arsenic the destiny of Sonia is successful their hands. I’ve had to instrumentality a heavy breath, and go, 'I’ve made my decision, I’ve conscionable got to fto it play out.'"

Explaining her determination to permission the show, Natalie said EastEnders would ever beryllium successful her heart.

She said: "I'm 42 this year, I conscionable consciousness similar it’s clip to beryllium brave. You don’t privation to get to 70 and think, ‘I ne'er tried that’. I’ve loved this programme with each my heart. I started astatine ten, it’s successful my bones, it’s successful my heart."

Speaking antecedently astir her exit from the Square, Natalie wrote: "I consciousness highly bittersweet to beryllium penning this, but besides precise excited. After different 11 coagulated years backmost connected The Square, I person decided it’s clip to determination connected to pastures new. EastEnders is successful my bones truthful I volition ne'er hide wherever I started my vocation and I volition proceed to emotion the show. Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the accidental to beryllium specified a large portion of the 40th day – it’s an honour. See ya, Sonia, going but ne'er forgotten."

Speaking astir Natalie's departure, brag Chris Clenshaw said: "Over the past 31 years successful EastEnders, Natalie has been progressive successful immoderate of the show’s astir iconic and explosive storylines. Her portrayal of Sonia has made her a steadfast instrumentality favourite amongst the viewers. I won’t beryllium revealing the finite details relating to her exit, but I tin accidental that she volition instrumentality a cardinal relation successful the 40th day storylines successful a week of genuinely unmissable play that volition alteration the lives of those successful Walford forever. I’d similar to convey Natalie for her clip astatine EastEnders, and I privation her each the champion for the future."

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