EastEnders' Sonia's life off-screen - real age, on-set romance, and tragic loss

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Natalie has been playing Sonia since 1993 (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Natalie has been playing Sonia since 1993 (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

EastEnders fans will be familiar with Natalie Cassidy, who has been involved with some pretty big storylines over the years since joining the soap as Sonia in 1993, including bereavements, family drama, affairs, teenage pregnancy, and a cancer scare. She's been on and off the soap during her time on the show, leaving Albert Square in 2007 and then going on to make a few cameos before returning for good in 2014.

Off the screen, Natalie's life is very different from Sonia's, with it thankfully being much less dramatic. The star's real age will likely confuse many, as they've watched her grow up on screen and likely still think of her as the youngster who was causing trouble in Walford. For those who don't know, she's now 40.

EastEnders' Sonia's life off-screen - real age, on-set romance, and tragic loss eiqrridetiqrqinvThe mum-of-two feels like she's 'cracked' being a parent (@natcass1/Instagram)

Natalie, from Islington, has had two public relationships over the years, the first, with Adam Cottrell, sadly didn't end well as she has previously shared how the relationship was filled with violence and abuse. The pair were on and off for several years from 2009, splitting for good in 2013 after a lot of misery. While the relationship didn't go the way Natalie had hoped, she did get her beloved daughter, Eliza from it.

She's since gone on to find her 'soulmate' in BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys, who she met in 2014 and he worked on several episodes of EastEnders from 2015 to 2022. The pair got engaged in 2015 and a few months later in February 2016, Natalie announced they were expecting a child. She gave birth to her second daughter, Joanie.

The pair are still engaged and haven't tied the knot yet, but Natalie often gives updates into their life at home. In one Instagram post, she shared her happiness with Marc, saying: "It doesn't really matter what's going on as long as we have each other." In another post she discussed motherhood, claiming she had "cracked" being a mum.

EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likenessEastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness

She said: "One thing I do love and feel I've cracked, is being a mum. I'm not saying I'm perfect at it, nobody is. But I love my kids so much. I miss them when I'm not with them. I love getting home with them after school, and cooking their dinner and doing homework and baths. Yes, I moan at them and shout sometimes. Yes, they drive me mad at times. But we play games. We put music on and dance around the kitchen. We laugh together. I have a responsibility to raise these two humans to the best of my ability. So far, they are polite. They are kind. And they eat vegetables and love @eltonjohn and @bbcradio2. What more can I do?"

EastEnders' Sonia's life off-screen - real age, on-set romance, and tragic lossNatalie has found her 'soulmate' in Marc (Instagram)
EastEnders' Sonia's life off-screen - real age, on-set romance, and tragic lossThe family is very happy together (Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock)

However, her social media isn't all happy times, as the mum-of-two has also shared an emotional post with fans, revealing her heartbreak over the death of her father, Charles, who died aged 84. She told how he had been her "whole world" and uploaded a picture of the two of them. She captioned it writing: "I lost my precious daddy three weeks ago today. I wasn't really going to do this post, but I felt I can't come on here and be a knob without letting everyone know that my life has changed. He was my whole world and I'm not sure what I'm going to do without him."

She added that she knew her family and friends, as well as her job would help her get through the difficult time. "I cannot believe how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life," she said. It really is at these times you realise how important relationships are and company and friendship and love is so important. Losing anyone is hard. The NEVER seeing someone again is cruel. But it's part of life. And we go on and have our memories. Charles William Cassidy 1937-2021. The best dad and grandad in the world. We miss you so much but we have each other because of you."

Courtney Pochin

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