After over three decades as Sonia Fowler on EastEnders, Natalie Cassidy has finally closed the chapter on Albert Square—and her words since leaving have struck a chord with fans and colleagues alike. In a rare, heartfelt moment, the former soap legend admitted something few expected to hear: “I don’t miss it. Not really.”

Having joined EastEnders in 1993 at just 10 years old, Natalie became a fixture of British television. Sonia’s journey—raw, real, and deeply human—touched generations of viewers. From teenage motherhood to heartbreak, family conflict, and personal reinvention, Sonia was one of the show’s emotional anchors. And yet, behind the scenes, Natalie was evolving in ways the soap could no longer contain.

Now, in a revealing conversation on her podcast Life With Nat, Natalie sat down with EastEnders co-star Kellie Bright (Linda Carter) to reflect on her decision to walk away from the Square. And what she shared was both honest and freeing.

“I don’t miss it,” Natalie confessed. “I miss the people. It’s full on. But I feel happier now, doing the things I’m doing.”

It wasn’t a dig at the show—it was clarity after a lifetime in one role. “I loved it. I’m grateful. But I fell into it, and that was that. I don’t know if I was meant to do that for 30 years.”

Kellie Bright, clearly emotional, pushed back gently, saying, “I grew up watching Sonia like everyone else. You were meant to do it. What you created was brilliant.”

Natalie’s post-EastEnders life has been anything but quiet. She’s thrown herself into a vibrant mix of personal and professional projects: from her upcoming book, Happy Days—which dives into motherhood, grief, diet culture, and life lessons from icons like June Brown—to fronting Channel 4’s consumer series What’s The Big Deal? and dazzling on ITV’s Cooking With The Stars, where she’s taken her fiery East End energy into the kitchen.

The transition hasn’t been without emotion. While Natalie stands firm in her choice, she’s admitted there are moments—small ones—when she misses the comforting chaos of the Square. The routine. The family. The history. “It’s in my bones,” she said when she first announced her departure. “I’ll always love it.”

Yet this new chapter is clearly one of joy, expansion, and deep reflection. She’s no longer defined by one character. She’s found her voice—in her writing, in her podcast, in her life as a mother. The nation watched her grow up on screen. Now, they’re watching her become.