Host Giovanna said: “I know that in the years to come you do find yourself in a place where you are completely comfortable with your body.”
Natalie, who has been promoting her new bookHappy Days, replied: “I am but I think it damaged me doing that.
“Well I still would look in the mirror and go ‘oh I could be this, could be that.’
“But I think that is just us today.
“I just think it’s what we’re seeing all the time as women and men, but as women, I think it’s a scary world when you think about what we look like all the time.”
The soap actress opened up about signing up to do the DVD at a vulnerable time – and said she regrets her decision.
She added: “I’d lost mum at 19 so all of that weight stuff was happening through all of that time.
“Silly decisions were being made, shouldn’t have done that, not the right guidance.
“It’s a silly thing to do but if someone says ‘here’s £100,000 you want to lose some weight?’ I was like ‘yeah, I’ll take that’.”
EastEnders’ Natalie Cassidy reveals she has finally ‘forgiven herself’ over horrific family loss
Natalie said losing weight for the DVD left her “worse off” with her body.
She explained: “It took a turn for the worse, I put loads of weight on very, very quickly afterwards, if not more.
“I think I just ate loads and then I started taking laxatives at some point.
“And you know I would never say I had an eating disorder, I’m very fortunate to say that, but you know I think if I had carried on with laxatives and this and that, who knows where I’d be.”
Natalie said that raising her daughters Eliza, 14, and Joanie, eight, helped her snap out the cycle.
She said: “I think because you’re not the be all and end all. You have those kids and that’s it. You forget about yourself.
“All you worry about, all you focus on is if they’re well cared for, their dinner, what they’re eating, what they’re wearing, are they sleeping. that that was my focus and the idea of worrying about what I look like kind of fell to the wayside.”
6
Natalie, who plays Sonya in Eastenders, shared how she was offered the DVD when ‘silly decisions were being made’Credit: BBC
DIET PILL RUMOURS
However, attention on her weight has not eased up over the years.
Just last year, Natalie, who has been with her BBC cameraman fiance Marc Humphrey since 2014, was forced to deny she used diet pills to lose weight.
Her fans were targeted by scams online and the actress took to her social media to clarify that she recently lost her weight by cutting out treats.
The actress previously told The Sun: “I cut out rubbish. I cut down on alcohol too, even though I love white wine.”
“Alcohol is full of hidden calories, which all add up when it comes to a person’s daily limit.”
Natalie explained: “I’ve never gone through any injectable route.
“I’ve not done Botox before or lip filler. I just haven’t. So to inject something, I’m just scared of it.”
Giovanna, 40 – mum to Buzz, 11, Buddy, nine, and Max, six – gave her own views on weight loss jabs and admitted that they have come up on her radar.
It’s a silly thing to do but if someone says ‘here’s £100,000 you want to lose some weight?’ I was like ‘yeah, I’ll take that’
Natalie Cassidy
The wife of McFly’s Tom Fletcher, explained: “Only because I’ve had people going and doing it in a way where it’s almost discussed in a way that they’re trying to encourage you to do it.
“I’m like, I don’t want to do that. No, I’m not interested.
“It feels so bizarre to go from ‘this is me’ to a ‘let’s change myself’, and for what?
“I don’t think anyone would like me more if I’m skinny.
“I don’t think anyone would love me more. I don’t think I’ll be happier.
“I think it would do the opposite.”
6
Giovanna Fletcher opened up about her views on weight loss jabsCredit: PA
What are the side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of injections such as Ozempic include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There’s a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.
Natalie Cassidy portrayed the role of Sonia Fowler in EastEnders across several stints since 1993, ending in April when the popular character departed Albert Square with her daughters
00:19, 07 Oct 2025Updated 00:25, 07 Oct 2025
Sonia Fowler, pictured right, had been a regular at the Queen Vic for years(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
The actress, who played Sonia Fowler in the soap, told fans her consumer series What’s The Big Deal? is unlikely to be renewed after failing to impress on Channel 4. Her BBC podcast co-hosted with Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page has also come to an abrupt end.
Speaking in relation to the future of What’s The Big Deal?, Natalie, 42, said: “I don’t think it went down very well, if I’m honest. I don’t think it will come back. At the moment there is no talk of it. But I loved it and it was a great experience for me to do.”
The Channel 4 programme saw Natalie, a mother of two, test popular products to see if they lived up to the hype, in what was her first big job away from acting. On the podcast, called Off The Telly, Natalie discussed all things TV with Joanna, famed for playing Stacey in the popular sitcom.
But the new avenues have presented challenges for Natalie, who told fans a literary festival in Somerset the BBC had second thoughts about the podcast. She said: “We had a laugh doing it and it is a shame the pod ended. I don’t think it will be back.
“With the BBC sometimes, what happens is, through no fault of their own, they love exploring new stuff and they do chop and change. If something isn’t massively, massively popular, then they will just get rid and try new material. That is kind of what the BBC is for. The money is from you guys, so they do need to change things and make things new.”
The star was at the event to promote her new book Happy Days, which is about her life on and off screen. In it, she reflects on her long tenure at EastEnders, which began in 1993 when Natalie was just 10. As a child, she won the Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress gong at the British Soap Awards in 2004, and enjoyed 21 more years portraying Sonia.
The character had a problematic marriage with Martin, which ended in 2006 when Sonia began an affair with Naomi Julien. They reconciled and Sonia was devastated when he died in February this year.
The Sonia Jackson actress says she feels and looks different after leaving the BBC soap after three decades
Natalie Cassidy on life after EastEnders and feeling free(Image: PR Supplied)
Move over Sonia Jackson and take your trumpet with you… after 32 years it is finally time for Natalie Cassidy to take centre stage.
The 42-year-old was only 10 when she joined EastEnders, and she inhabited the character with such conviction that the lines of fact and fiction blurred. But no more… Natalie says since leaving the BBC juggernaut this year, the changes have been so huge that not only does she feel different, she looks different too.
“It was amazing when I got to reinvent myself after leaving EastEnders,” she says, beaming. “Sonia isn’t the most glamorous of characters, bless her, but I wanted to stay true to her character, so I never got extensions put in, or dyed my hair.
“She was just a worker who didn’t have a lot of money and worked for the NHS. But coming away, and breaking free, I just thought, ‘I want to be glam. I want to wear coloured nails. And just feel like me’.
“I do feel like my face has changed a little since leaving EastEnders, because I was quite sad when I was playing Sonia, or angry all the time. So I feel like my frown lines have sort of faded away, which is quite nice!”
Since Natalie joined in 1993, Sonia fell pregnant at 15, lost Jamie Mitchell, faced a rocky marriage to Martin Fowler and had a cancer scare. She also took the lead in the live episode in February for the soap’s 40th anniversary, giving birth in the Queen Vic.
News of trumpet-playing Sonia’s departure shocked viewers, who had grown up watching Natalie’s powerful performances on their TV screens. Natalie says her 40th birthday was a turning point.
“It’s a bit of a cliche, but it is a milestone. You know who you are, who your friends are, and where you are in life. You don’t want any rubbish. Having been in this business for such a long time, I just needed to be free and be open to everything else.”
Mum-of-two Natalie admits she felt chained to the show, while conceding: “And that’s not a bad thing, because it’s regular money. But you haven’t got any time to plan anything else, so it does take over your whole life,” she says. “For me, I just knew I needed to be brave, and I needed to break free from that to sit and go, ‘What else is going to come?’”
Natalie is busy recording her podcast, Life With Nat, appearing in BBC comedy Boarders and fronting C4 consumer show What’s The Big Deal. The star, engaged to cameraman Marc Humphries, also plans to do lots of mum things with Eliza, 15, and Joanie, nine.
“It’s been freeing leaving EastEnders,” admits Natalie. “I feel liberated and just happy. Albert Square will always hold a place in my heart… and the door is always open for me to return, never say never.”
Read Natalie’s full interview in the November issue of Prima here.
