Natalie Cassidy ‘really cross’ after key scene cut from Sonia’s EastEnders exit

Natalie Cassidy has revealed that one scene was left on the cutting room floor (Picture: BBC / Kieron McCarron)

Natalie Cassidy has revealed her disappointment after a key scene from Sonia Fowler’s exit was cut from EastEnders.

The actress, 41, bowed out of the BBC soap after 32 years earlier this month.

Sonia, alongside sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and daughters Bex (Jasmine Armfield) and Julia drove off into the sunset for a new life in Bali.

Like most soap exits, it didn’t come without a hitch. Son’s abusive, estranged father Terry Cant (Glen Davies) arrived in Walford to make amends with her, but his true colours soon shone through.

After an altercation, the women locked him in their garage before jumping in his hire car and darting off.

Towed along in his speed boat, Bianca and Sonia waved on to their adoring neighbours as the emotive bars of Julia’s theme (the melancholy EastEnders arrangement) kicked in.

The end of an era.

However, according to Natalie, there was one moment missing from her departure, and she isn’t happy about it!

Sonia and Bianca left on the back of a speedboat (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) A scene with Phil Mitchell was dropped (Picture: BBC)

As Sonia said her goodbyes to Albert Square’s nearest and dearest, she was to sit down for one final conversation with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Fans will remember that the two characters shared a lot of screen time in 2002, when Phil’s surrogate son Jamie (Jack Ryder) – who was partnered with Sonia at the time – was killed after colliding with a car.

Speaking on her Off The Telly podcast, the actress said: ‘I felt quite emotional but, do you know what? Maybe I’ve missed it because I wasn’t watching it properly, but I feel like they cut out the scene which was my favourite scene.‌

‘It was Sonia and Phil just having a moment in the Square. I didn’t see it.

‘I’d be really cross because it was a really nice scene. Anyway, she left on a speedboat with her trumpet and I’ve had loads of DMs and messages and stuff just saying how people have shed a tear, but a happy tear.’

Natalie hasn’t ruled out a return (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Despite one annoyance, she was quite pleased with how the plot played out as a whole: ‘It was nice and joyful, it wasn’t sort of depressing’ she added.

‘[She] didn’t leave in a black cab, it was just fun.’

Although it seemed like a finite exit, Nat’ explained that she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a return.

‘I’m never going to say goodbye to her because, after 32 years, Sonia is ingrained in me!’ she told us.

‘So, while I’m saying goodbye on screen, for now, Sonia is always there, knocking about!

‘You never know what is going to happen with Sonia and Bianca, maybe they’ll turn up in the Square in ten years’ time dripping in diamonds!’

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