EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy says she was “naive” about her character Sonia’s earlier lesbian storyline, but is happier with Sonia’s latest liaison with a woman.
Viewers might have got a shock when sensible Sonia locked lips with Tina Carter in a recent episode.
But Natalie is quick to remind people that Sonia has dabbled with the fairer sex before.
“I don't know where [the storyline’s] going but, at the time, it felt right for Sonia to do that. Sonia’s dabbled with women in the past,” Natalie, 30, said on BBC Breakfast.
Back in 2005, Sonia shared a kiss with nurse Naomi Julien, a storyline that Natalie wasn’t totally happy with.
“When I was younger, I think I was a little naive. As an actress and as the character I thought, ‘Well, actually, I’m not sure if Sonia would do this’,” she said.
“Now, because I’ve had that past and I’ve got that background, that’s why this [storyline] works.”
Mum-of-one Natalie returned to EastEnders as Sonia this year, after her screen mother Carol Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The actress first appeared as trumpet-playing Sonia in 1993, left in 2007, and then made brief appearances in 2010 and 2011, before her recent return.
Natalie praised BBC1 for the soap’s strong storylines, including the recent murder of Lucy Beale, reports the Mirror newspaper.
“I think the show’s really good at the moment. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the show - that’s how it should be. EastEnders should be like that and people are talking about it again. It’s an exciting place to be,” she said.
