After more than 30 years as one of EastEnders’ most familiar faces, Natalie Cassidy is stepping into an exciting new chapter — and so is her beloved character, Sonia Fowler. While Sonia’s emotional exit storyline is currently playing out on screens, Natalie is making a bold leap into the world of radio.

This Easter Monday, fans will get to hear a very different side of the soap star as she hosts her own show on Virgin Radio, airing from 1pm to 4pm via the station’s app and smart speakers. The new venture marks a major move for Cassidy, 41, who has portrayed Sonia — Walford’s long-suffering nurse — since 1993.

Speaking ahead of the special broadcast, Natalie shared her excitement and nerves: “This year I’m trying to branch out and do brave things, and this is one of them. I feel very honoured to have been given a chance on Virgin Radio.” A lifelong music fan, she’s already got her playlist in mind: “I’d love to play Oasis — I love them to pieces. And Amy Winehouse’s ‘Valerie’ – it’s a karaoke family classic.”

The star is no stranger to packed schedules, having spent decades immersed in EastEnders’ demanding filming routine — including working through bank holidays. “What holiday?” she joked. “I’d be at home with the kids, probably cleaning and doing the washing. I don’t really sit down.”

Natalie’s move into radio comes just months after she launched the podcast Off The Telly with Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page, which offered fans a lighter, more personal glimpse into her world. But this latest career twist marks a bold new chapter — one that coincides with a major change for Sonia in EastEnders.

On-screen, Sonia’s quiet but deeply emotional exit from Albert Square is now unfolding. For decades, she has been a cornerstone of the community, having weathered dramatic highs and lows — from a shocking teenage pregnancy to heartbreak, betrayal, and a terrifying cancer scare. But now, she’s facing a life-altering decision that will take her far from the cobbles of Walford.

After secretly penning a letter to her estranged father Terry Cant (played by Glen Davies), Sonia received the shock of her life when he unexpectedly returned to the Square. His arrival followed the release of a true crime podcast hosted by Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), in which family secrets were exposed to the public. Terry, having heard the revelations, decided it was time to reconnect with his daughter — and the offer he made left Sonia reeling.

Terry invited Sonia and her daughter Bex to join him in Bali, a world away from the chaos and conflict of Walford. For Sonia, who has spent a lifetime putting others before herself, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rewrite her story — to choose peace, healing, and the family bond she’s been missing for so long.

But the choice isn’t simple. Leaving Walford means walking away from everything familiar — the house she’s made a home, the community she’s served as a nurse, and the memories of the life she built with Martin Fowler. Yet with Bex back from travelling and her own emotional needs finally taking priority, Sonia is seriously considering the move.

As her storyline unfolds, fans are left wondering: Will Sonia leave for good? Or will this simply be a pause in her Walford journey?

Natalie Cassidy has hinted that this may not be a forever goodbye. And with her character’s depth, history, and fanbase, it’s easy to imagine Sonia eventually finding her way back — older, wiser, and with a whole new perspective.

For now, though, viewers will watch Sonia embark on a transformative decision that could take her halfway across the world. The streets of Bali may soon replace Albert Square — and it’s a fitting, almost poetic send-off for a character who’s endured more than her fair share of hardship.

Meanwhile, Natalie Cassidy’s real-life transformation from soap legend to radio presenter shows no signs of slowing down. As she takes to the airwaves this Easter Monday, fans will hear the voice they’ve loved for decades in a completely new setting — unfiltered, passionate, and brimming with the same warmth and charm that made Sonia a staple of British television.