EastEnders icon Natalie Cassidy recently announced her departure from the long-running soap after 32 years as Sonia Fowler

Actress Natalie Cassidy is to leave EastEnders, more than three decades after her first appearance on the soap as Sonia Fowler. In a statement the 41-year-old said she was "extremely sad" but also "very excited" to be moving on.

BBC EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has announced she is quitting the hit soap after 31 years of playing Sonia

From teenage bullying to placing daughter Rebecca up for adoption, losing her true love Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) in a road-traffic accident, to her recent imprisonment, she hasn’t had much reason to smile – which is a crying shame, if you pardon the pun.

The 41-year-old actress, who plays Sonia Fowler, said she is "extremely sad" but also "very excited" to leave the BBC soap. Her exit will be part of the programme's 40th anniversary.

Natalie Cassidy is set to bid farewell to EastEnders, nearly 32 years since her first appearance. The 41 year old actress, better known as Sonia Fowler, will depart from Walford next month during the soap's 40th anniversary celebrations.

EastEnders fans are convinced that Sonia Fowler will be killed off after Natalie Cassidy quit the BBC soap this week after nearly 32 years on the soap as the trumpet-playing character

EastEnders Natalie Cassidy revealed this week she has quit the soap - and fans are certain it's not going to end well for her character Sonia Fowler