Natalie Cassidy's 'unmissable' EastEnders exit will 'change Walford residents' lives

EastEnders icon Natalie Cassidy precocious announced her departure from the long-running soap aft 32 years arsenic Sonia Fowler

EastEnders bosses person teased Natalie Cassidy's 'unmissable' exit from the amusement which volition 'change the lives' of the residents of Walford.

Natalie, who plays Sonia Fowler connected the BBC series, announced this week she's 'moving connected to pastures new' aft 32 years connected Albert Square. She said successful a statement: "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." On Friday afternoon, EastEnders paid tribute to the histrion and teased her explosive exit.

Along with a representation of her, they wrote connected X/ Twitter : "Natalie Cassidy is leaving #EastEnders, much than 3 decades aft her archetypal quality arsenic Sonia Fowler. Chris Clenshaw has said of Natalie’s departure: '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 [minute] 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'."

Natalie volition beryllium filming her last scenes of the amusement successful February astir the highly-anticipated 40th day week. She reportedly told bosses of her determination to permission past summer.

Speaking of her being killed disconnected adjacent month, a root claimed to The Sun: "It would beryllium a due soap shocker if she was to dice during the 40th but arsenic it volition beryllium 1 that viewers volition ne'er ever forget." They added: "Bosses person pulled retired each the stops to marque the soap's large 40th the astir melodramatic and unforgettable week successful the past of EastEnders."

Fans were shocked by the news, with 1 idiosyncratic penning connected societal media: "Oh, this is sad." Another upset idiosyncratic said: "Just confirmed:- Natalie Cassidy is leaving arsenic Sonia Fowler during the 40th day week. They can't termination her off."

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