Where EastEnders’ biggest pin-ups are now… split with Kym Marsh & shock rescue from a Thai waterfall after drugs battle

EASTENDERS' 40th day episodes commencement adjacent week and they volition awesome Natalie Cassidy’s last days connected Albert Square.

The explosive episodes, which statesman connected February 17, could spot the show icon killed disconnected arsenic the Queen Vic goes up successful smoke.

In her aboriginal days arsenic Sonia Jackson she was surrounded by soap’s biggest pin-ups - with Paul Nicholls and Jack Ryder sending teenagers into a swoon and the likes of Michael Greco being voted sexiest man.

And the legendary soap besides launched the careers of glamorous starring ladies similar Martine McCutcheon and Danniella Westbrook, turning them into household names overnight.

So wherever are Natalie’s celebrated co-stars now?

Martine McCutcheon

The relation of Tiffany Mitchell made Martine 1 of Albert Square’s astir fashionable stars.

More than 22 cardinal viewers tuned successful to ticker her iconic exit successful a peculiar New Year’s Eve episode.

Tiffany’s matrimony to Grant was implicit and she had planned to elope with Beppe di Marco - taking girl Courtney with her.

Furious Grant snatched the babe and ran - and Tiffany chased him into the quadrate wherever she was deed by Frank Butcher’s car and died.

But portion fans lapped up the drama, Martine herself wasn’t blessed that Tiff was being killed off. 

When she handed her announcement successful to prosecute a popular career, the prima hadn't expected Tiff’s decease and accused amusement bosses of doing it retired of spite - they spot back, saying she had wanted a 'safety net’.

Martine aboriginal said she lone heard astir it erstwhile it was announced connected the radio.

But her popular vocation was a occurrence and she scored a fig 1 deed with Perfect Moment.

In 2003 she appeared arsenic beverage woman Natalie successful the deed movie Love Actually wherever the Prime Minister, played by Hugh Grant, fell successful emotion with her.

Martine, present 48, headed to America aft the film’s occurrence but a Hollywood vocation failed to materialise.

But successful 2011 she started to beryllium plagued with wellness issues and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease and fibromyalgia.

She joined vocalist Jack McManus the pursuing twelvemonth and the mates celebrated the commencement of their lad Rafferty successful 2015.

Sadly the couple divided past summer and Martine made it wide it was his choice saying: “Jack has decided it's champion for america to abstracted aft 18 years unneurotic and I judge his decision.” 

But this week she returned to societal media saying she was looking guardant to the future.

She wrote: "Hello everybody it has been a agelong clip since I person been connected present but I wanted to accidental that your messages of emotion and enactment and each sorts were truthful so astonishing for maine past year.

"So convey you truthful much.

"I person not been connected present I person fundamentally been uncovering my feet, healing, focusing connected the adjacent section which I americium precise excited about."

Michael Greco

As hunky Beppe di Marco, Michael Greco spent astir of his clip successful EastEnders shirtless, sending his heartthrob presumption and pulses racing. 

Beppe rapidly established himself arsenic an force to hard men Phil and Grant Mitchell, adjacent embarking connected an matter with Grant’s woman Tiffany.

At the tallness of his fame, Michael was voted Soap's Sexiest Male astatine the British TV Soap Awards and the Sexiest Male Soap Star ever by readers of the Radio Times.

But Beppe’s quality was axed arsenic portion of a revamp successful 2002, and Michael aboriginal spoke astir however overmuch hard enactment soap beingness was.

He said: “It’s a truly pugnacious beingness arsenic a soap actor, wherever 3 to 4 episodes person to beryllium filmed successful 1 week. It’s hard enactment and radical don’t realise that soap actors are large due to the fact that they enactment constantly.

“They bash a agelong shift, continuously doing country aft country aft scene, and past they person to spell location and larn their lines for the next day, which is similar homework.”

At 1 constituent his Wikipedia leafage claimed helium had had a enactment with clown Gladys Chucklebutty astatine a kids’ enactment erstwhile Gladys made unkind comments astir the 5ft 9 actor's tallness arsenic helium competed to triumph his tallness successful pizzas.

But it appears this was a gangly communicative made up by a prankster and the remark was aboriginal removed.

Instead, Michael went connected to go a nonrecreational poker subordinate - regularly winning large and moving to LA.

But helium near the glamour of poker to settee down with his spouse Helen Harris successful London and the mates present person 2 sons Gianluca and Gianni.

And his Beppe di Marco heart-throb days whitethorn beryllium down him, but helium is inactive wowing fans with his awesome physique - showing disconnected an awesome acceptable of abs successful an insta snap.

Despite leaving EastEnders much than 20 years ago, Michael, present 54, precocious said helium wouldn’t regularisation retired a return, saying: “I wouldn't accidental no, due to the fact that I unrecorded 20 minutes up the roadworthy from the studios.

"Also due to the fact that it was a large amusement and 5 of the champion years of my life. They've not asked maine backmost yet but if they did, I would instrumentality the call."

Paul Nicholls

Teen heartthrob Paul was a immense deed arsenic soon arsenic his character, schizophrenic Joe Wicks, landed successful Albert Square.

He was voted TV's sexiest histrion doubly - and appeared connected the screen of magazines including Smash Hits, Heat, Just Seventeen and Sugar.

Paul had flings with 2 of the soap's starring ladies, Martine McCutcheon and Danniella Westbrook.

But the unit of fame astatine specified a young property became excessively overmuch and helium discontinue Albert Square aft conscionable 2 years, later.

At the time, helium said: "People said I had excessively overmuch excessively soon erstwhile I was playing Joe Wicks, and possibly they were right. I didn't privation to beryllium a heartthrob, and I could not grip the attention.”

Afterwards, Paul openly admitted struggling with depression and getting hooked connected intoxicant and drugs, saying: "I was good connected my mode to a full breakdown. I was drinking a batch and taking drugs.

"I had mislaid power of my life. The much I partied, the much I was telling myself, 'Wow, this is what acting is each about.’"

But helium managed to tackle his issues and went connected to prima successful Holby City, Waterloo Road, Law and Order: UK and Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason.

Paul, present 45, faced much off-screen play successful 2017 erstwhile helium suffered a crab scare erstwhile a benign pharynx tumour near him incapable to talk for months.

Later that year, helium astir died aft spending 3 days trapped successful a Thai stone excavation aft helium fell trying to instrumentality a selfie.  

When helium was found, the prima was semi-conscious and suffering from hypothermia arsenic good arsenic a tropical corruption picked up from his untreated wounds and a breached leg.  

The prima made a astonishment instrumentality to Albert Square past twelvemonth aft 27 years away.

Unfortunately, Paul's quality Joe didn't really acceptable ft successful the square, alternatively appearing concisely to chat connected a video telephone with his begetter David Wicks (Michael French).

Jack Ryder

Jack Ryder was conscionable 17 erstwhile helium made his debut arsenic the floppy-haired Jamie Mitchell.

His boyish good-looks and curtains hairstyle pb to him being dubbed ‘mini David Beckham’ - and won him an service of fans.

But his clip connected the soap ended successful calamity erstwhile his quality was dramatically killed connected Christmas Day 2002. 

Run implicit by emotion rival Martin Fowler, who was connected his telephone and driving portion disqualified, Jamie was seen suffering liver damage, with his loved ones – including Peggy Mitchell, godfather Phil Mitchell and woman Sonia, saying goodbye earlier helium died. 

The country remains 1 of the most-watched moments successful soap history, with implicit 20 cardinal radical tuning successful to bid the quality farewell. 

And off-screen his beingness was afloat of play excessively erstwhile helium joined Hearsay prima Kym Marsh successful 2002 and became stepdad to her 2 kids but they divided successful 2009.

"When I spotted him I told Myleene Klass, 'He's rather cute - but helium looks astir 12'," Kym erstwhile confessed.

"We chatted and helium was flirting with me. I kinda liked him too. He had a precise honorable look and I could consciousness thing betwixt us.

"A fewer months earlier I'd been a azygous mum who spent her evenings ironing. Now I was being texted by the hottest soap prima successful the country."

Jack, present 44, aboriginal became a manager some connected signifier and screen, including The Full Monty. He besides joined forces with Gary Barlow and Take That’s squad to co-direct West End amusement The Band, based connected the group’s success. 

Away from the limelight, Jack is present settled with long-time spouse Ella, with whom helium has a girl called Marnie, calved successful 2021. 

Sean Maguire

Heartthrob Sean Maguire played apprentice Walford Town FC footballer Aidan who had the satellite astatine his feet erstwhile helium joined the amusement successful 1993.

But Aidan’s shot vocation was plagued by wounded and a troubled romance with Mandy Salter led to him becoming stateless and hooked connected drugs.

More than 23 cardinal fans tuned successful to ticker him effort to tragically instrumentality his ain beingness connected the Christmas Day occurrence - but thankfully Mandy saved him and helium fled to Ireland.

In existent life, Sean’s prima was rising and helium launched a popular vocation releasing 3 deed albums.

After his popular vocation fizzled, helium relocated to Los Angeles and managed to win successful Hollywood wherever different Brit soap stars person struggled, starring successful Eve, The Class, CSI: NY and Once Upon A Time arsenic Robin Hood.

He joined constabulary detective Tanya Flynn successful October 2012 and they person 3 children.

Danniella Westbrook

No different soap star could person had arsenic overmuch off-screen drama arsenic Danniella Westbrook, who was catapulted to overnight fame arsenic Sam Mitchell astatine the property of conscionable 16.

From a romance with a popular atrocious lad to cause addiction, kidnap, pack rape and rehab, Danniella has faced much than her just stock of trauma.

Her conflict with cocaine started erstwhile she was conscionable 14 but it spiralled aft she joined EastEnders and became a regular connected the London nine scene. 

She erstwhile said: “I was ever successful clubs and everyone was doing coke and it was glamorous – but obviously, it wasn't astatine all. I was conscionable precise young, precise anserine and precise easy led.”

Danniella near the soap successful 1993 to instrumentality connected different role, but was invited backmost successful 1995, by which clip her cause maltreatment had taken implicit her beingness and was affecting her enactment truthful her declaration was terminated.

But successful 1999 they decided to springiness her different accidental - but by this constituent her cause usage had eroded her nasal septum. In 2000 she was asked to permission again.

During the tallness of her EastEnders fame she was dating Brian Harvey, pb vocalist of boyband East 17, making them a teenage personage powerfulness couple.

But fame took its toll and they divided successful 1995.

In 2013, Danniella revealed that aft the divided she was successful a atrocious spot with drugs and was aboriginal kidnapped, held captive for 3 days and gang-raped implicit a cause debt.

But heartbreakingly she didn’t deliberation radical would judge her oregon thought she had deserved it due to the fact that of her addictions.

She joined businessman Kevin Jenkins successful 2001 and the mates had a girl Jodie, but sadly divided successful 2014.

Danniella, present 51, has taken a measurement backmost from the limelight, but precocious spoke astir her narration with Brian Harvey connected the BBC ‘Boybands Forever’ documentary.

Patsy Palmer

As 1 of the show's astir memorable characters, Patsy Palmer's iconic "Ricky!" shriek volition beryllium everlastingly etched successful the minds of longtime fans.

Arriving connected the Square successful 1993 arsenic the feisty Bianca Butcher, she instantly became a instrumentality favourite.

Her 1997 matrimony to Sid Owen's Ricky drew 1 of the show's biggest audiences erstwhile implicit 22million radical tuned in.

In 1993, she bowed retired of the soap but has since made respective returns - her latest stint was successful September 2004.

Patsy's 2007 autobiography revealed a concealed addiction to drugs and alcohol. She wrote that she spent her twenties "bingeing beingness distant connected cocaine, ecstasy, and capable vodka to quench a tiny village's thirst for respective hours."

Patsy, 52, moved to Malibu, California. In 2020 during the pandemic, she rebranded herself arsenic a manner guru and launched her ain wellness leafage connected Instagram.

But successful 2021, she stormed disconnected the acceptable of a Good Morning Britain interrogation erstwhile the tagline astatine the bottommost of the surface read: "Patsy Palmer: Addict to Wellness Guru".

She besides doubles arsenic a DJ and, past year, she rejoined the soap successful her iconic relation of Bianca.

In 1998, she joined movie manager Nick Love. The mates divided up successful 2000. That aforesaid year, she wed her 2nd hubby Richard Merkell.

Michelle Gayle

In 1990, Michelle Gayle, 54, scored the relation of Hattie Tavernier connected the show. Her family's accomplishment was the archetypal clip an full household had been introduced astatine once.

She was connected the amusement for 3 years, with her quality serving arsenic Ian Beale's idiosyncratic assistant.

Some of her astir memorable storylines see suffering a miscarriage and being abandoned by her fiance.

She near the amusement to prosecute a vocation successful euphony and recovered mean occurrence arsenic a R&B singer, releasing 2 apical 40 albums and 7 apical 40 singles.

In 2007, she became a panelist connected Loose Women. She is present an author.

Michelle, was joined to shot pundit Mark Bright but the mates divorced aft 10 years successful 2008.

Lucy Speed

Lucy Speed was conscionable 17 erstwhile she got her large interruption arsenic Natalie Price, the long-suffering champion person of Patsy Palmer’s Bianca Jackson.

But she discontinue the amusement conscionable a twelvemonth aboriginal successful 1994 aft struggling with the overnight fame EastEnders brought.

Lucy aboriginal said: “I was precise frightened by it rather frankly and surely unprepared for it. I didn't similar astatine each the attraction that came with being connected specified a high-profile show.

"It simply wasn't what I signed up for successful the archetypal place---all that craziness. I was precise young and highly shy, truthful it each became a immense trouble for me.”

But she went backmost 4 years later, yet feeling acceptable for the challenge.

Natalie was soon embroiled successful plentifulness of play with a rocky matrimony to Barry, an matter with champion person Bianca’s hubby Ricky.

Lucy near the amusement for bully successful 2004 erstwhile heartbroken Natalie realised Janine had virtually got distant with murdering Barry.

Off-screen she joined exemplary and histrion Spencer Hayler successful 2009 and gave commencement to their girl Kitty successful 2012, followed by lad Sullivan successful 2018.

Since EastEnders, she has been a prolific signifier histrion arsenic good arsenic having roles successful Casualty and The Bill. She is present a regular successful the Radio 4 soap The Archers.