EastEnders’ Patsy Palmer proud of ‘most fantastic’ soap sister Natalie Cassidy - Cassidy, who plays Sonia Fowler, announced she will be leaving the BBC soap after more than 30 years.

EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy has announced she is leaving the soap after 32 years, with her co-stars taking to social media to share their own emotional reactions

Patsy Palmer has paid tribute to EastEnders co-star Natalie Cassidy after the actress announced she would be leaving the BBC soap after more than 30 years. Palmer, 52, who plays Bianca Jackson, the on-screen half-sister of Cassidy’s character Sonia Fowler, said she was proud of the actress’s work, business ventures and family.

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.

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 star Natalie Cassidy is set to leave the BBC soap after nearly 32 years of playing Sonia Jackson. The 41-year-old actress, who first joined the show in 1993 at the age of ten, has announced her departure from Albert Square.