Natalie Cassidy says EastEnders left its mark on her looks as she reveals changed face since leaving BBC soap

Natalie Cassidy has revealed that EastEnders took a toll on her looks and career, saying her face has changed since she was 'liberated' from the BBC soap. The actress, 42, played Sonia Fowler on the show from 1993 until earlier this year, with her final episode airing in April after nearly 32 years on the Square.

Speaking to Prima, Cassidy described the freedoms she found after leaving, explaining it was "amazing" to reinvent herself away from the long-running role. "Sonia isn’t the most glamorous of characters, bless her, but I wanted to stay true to her, so I never got extensions put in, or dyed my hair."

She said she feels her face has changed since leaving because she was often sad or angry while playing Sonia, which, she adds, may have contributed to the way she looked. "I do feel like my frown lines have sort of faded away, which is quite nice," Cassidy told Prima.

On why she walked away, Cassidy framed turning 40 as a milestone. "I think you know who you are and where you are in life. EastEnders is a brilliant job, but when you’re there you’re chained. And that’s not a bad thing, because it’s regular money. But I needed to be brave and break free to see what else is going to come."

Since her exit, Cassidy has kept busy with podcasts Life with Nat and Off the Telly with Joanna Page, and she has popped up in a string of television projects. She appeared on The Masked Singer as Bush, took part in Cooking with the Stars, and is slated to star in Learning to Care. Her screen credits have also included roles in Boarders, and appearances on The Catherine Tate Show, Psychoville, Crime Stories, Mandy and Motherland.

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