Memory Lane with Kerry Godliman and Jen Brister - S03 E31: Natalie Cassidy

Episode Date: September 25, 2024

"He'd been there a while while... and I'd been away... and then he was like... Sonia's back..." This week we have the wonderful, funny and some say national treasure @natcass1 on the show talking about life in the public eye, losing her mum in her twenties, being an aunty aged 3 and so so much more... - If you aren't already avid listeners to her new podcast 'Life with Nat' go and listen now. It's great! Plus we have @kerryagodliman and @jenbristercomedy talking about the Kafka-esque world of US visas and Jen's tour of the US. - Buy tickets now... if you are one of our stateside listeners! PHOTO 1: Mum and me PHOTO 2: me and my niece PHOTO 3: Meeting Marc PHOTO 4: Happy family PHOTO 5: Holiday in Greece PICS & MORE - https://www.instagram.com/memory_lane_podcast/ A Dot Dot Dot Production produced by Joel Porter Hosted by Jen Brister & Kerry Godliman Distributed by Keep It Light Media Sales and advertising enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Shop before they're gone. In-store online at Sephora.com. Hello and welcome to Memory Lane. I'm Jen Bristair and I'm Kerry Godleman. Each week we'll be taking a trip down Memory Lane with our very special guest as they bring in four photos from their lives to talk about. To check out the photos we'd be having a natter with them about, they're on the episode image and you can also see them a little bit more clearly on our Instagram page.

So have a little look at Memory Lane podcast. Come on, we can all be nosy together. I went to the US Embassy on Friday and I did all the queuing. Yeah, you feel like you're in a Kafka play. Yeah. Yeah, join a cue to join another cue. Join a cue to join another queue and then they're like, can you join that cue?

So there's two cues parallel to one another and then so many people join the wrong queue got nearly to the end and they went, oh no, no, no, you should be at that queue. And then they looked at the length of the queue. They were like, I'm not queuing on that. And they were like, you are. Oh, but the woman when I was doing it, she just basically went, sorry, I'm just going to push in. And me being British went, okay, and she just pushed it. She went, I've been here for over an hour. I've been in the wrong queue.

I'm not going back to the end of the queue. I'm just going to push into this queue. And by the way, by the time you get that, the difference of one person is zero difference. Oh, yeah. But I mean, you can pin a lot of hate on one person. Don't go. Oh, sure.

The theory that one person can open up for you. Oh, my God. There was a complete palava when we got through and you had to put your bags through. And they went, excuse me, madam, to the woman in front of me, is this perfume? and she said, yeah. Yeah, it's not Semtex. Yeah.

No, it's something I'm going to be using in order to blow up the US Embassy. And he went, could you spray it please? And she went, okay. So she sprayed it and she went, it's perfume. And he went, okay, you're not going to be to take that through. And I thought, why did you make a spray if she can't take it through anyway? He goes, yeah, it's definitely perfume, but you can't take it through. So what was that about?

Why did you make her do that then? Exactly. And then she said, well, what do I do with it? He said, well, you can either bin it. There's a bin outside. Or you can take it to the cafe. There's a cafe. If you come out of here, take it, turn on the left.

And she went, I'm not going to that tune. She's not going to a cafe. No. She goes, what am I going to do with this perfume? Anyway, I didn't stick around to find out. But she was like, this is mad. Yeah. The maddest bit was, why did you make a spray?

Yeah, that's weird power games. Well, anyway, it's to get practice for when you try and get into America with that visa at the airport. So it's good. It's good to get you. What do you mean? Well, it's all a bit boring and tedious. and they ask you, are you a terrorist, and you have to fill in all those forms.

And, oh, it doesn't ever end. There'll be more questions, babe. Wait, what do you mean? There'll be more security guards that want to talk to you about that visa. Yeah. What, when I get to America? Yeah, yeah, when you get to the airport.

They're going to ask me about my visa? Yeah. Yeah. They're not just going to just let me in. No, they don't want to get anyone in. I think you went viral. Do you think they'll lead with that? Say, excuse me, don't you recognize me?

Have you got the internet? I don't think you know. Can I introduce you to a little known. app called Instagram or Toctin I think you'll find

my visa is my face oh thank you put a stamp put a right here mate so you went to the embassy

you got your visa I went to the embassy I got my visa I printed out every single fucking bit of paper that was like existed

note to humankind I think I literally used up six cartridges of ink in about 45 trees yeah Chloe went

are you sure you need all this information I said my lawyer has told me to take all this information

anyway I turned up had my interview and the woman said okay could you pass me that form I said thank yes there's my form and she went yes your visa has been approved I said okay it's just I printed out quite a lot of information would you like to look at it first she went no I would not oh and that was that okay I just said just because my this is really compromised my

relationship at home and so I really feel like it'd be beneficial if you just glanced at it how did that role I will not be looking at that information ma'am I went okay thank you bye bye but the good news is you've got your visa? Well, I have, I mean, Oh, is it? You handed your passport in it? I handed in my passport. I still don't have my visa. It does mean you're anxious giving your passport. But then they just ring you and they go, it's here. It's in this alleyway down this road.

No, they're going to deliver it to me? What? I don't have to pick it up in the alleyway. She mean pick it up in an alleyway? Pick it up from like a special place with loads of special boxes in it. What? Yeah, that's how I got mine back. This is nothing. Yeah. They've got my, I did this mad thing. I gave them my address. Did you, did you think about trying that? I can't remember why I did it the other way.

It's just partly because it wasn't me setting it all up or arranging it. It was through a job, isn't it? So they did it all. So I didn't have any control over all that shit. Okay, I took full control of it. Yeah. And they're going to deliver it to your house. They're going to deliver it to me, to my home, hopefully, by third.

Before you go to America. I'm hoping. That would be handy. Yeah, it's going to be quite hard to travel without a passport. I fly on Sunday. Okay. That was a big intake of breath. Yeah, when you get in this passport?

It's kind of a bit fine, babe. Well, I actually feel really confident about it And I think it's going to be an A-OK Can you track it? Can you track it? What do you mean? Like those apps where you track something Where you can track it

What track my passport? Yeah. I don't think so. I'm sure it'll be fine. Don't say it like that. You'll be fine. You just said it in a way that made me think it's not going to be fine. If you're going to be using, if you want to reassure me, use a reassuring tone.

Start again. It's going to be fine. Thank you. Oh my God. I think you went too far the other way and now really feel like it. It's not going to be fine. Anyway, I've got three days in New York in between. Are you going to sing all the New York songs?

Would you mean all the New York songs? Well, let's go through them. Well, there's New York, New York. And then the Alicia Keys one. New York. New York. I think. And then there's the...

Been a holiday. How's that one go? Autumn in New York. Oh, yeah, that's a nice one. And then New York, New York. It's a magical place. I do not know that one. There are quite a few New York songs.

And I really want you to send me a little clip of you running around Manhattan and singing those songs. Yeah, that's never going to happen. Why not? I don't know. Now you've become obsessed with montages. Yeah, I am really into montages now. After saying you don't like montages, you've now...

I've seen the light. You've gone a full 180. I've seen the power of a montage. Well, I can create a montage for you, but it will be just for you. Yes. It won't be on the internet. And then I'll post it. Please do that.

I will see, I've got time, I've got three days in... What are you going to do? What are you going to do with your three days in New York? I've never been to... On the Staten Island ferry. Oh, well. That'll be fun. And I've never been up the Empire State Building.

Oh, that's two key events. I'm going to do these two key events. Yeah. And then after that I will... And then I'll probably be... What does that mean? Do you a shoo-de-de-do-you-shund. Is that you doing your show?

No, I'm just going to like Bob about on my own and it'll be fine. And then you've got your show? You're doing a show, aren't you in New York? Then in New York, I've literally, oh, I've got a show in Long Island. I've got these days where I've got nothing going on. And then three days I've got nothing going on weirdly. And then I'm going to go to Long Island. I'm going to do a show in front of a load of lesbians.

And then I am going to, which I think could be a tricky crowd. Because you know what I'm like? If I'm getting in front of a room full of lesbians, the sea bomb gets dropped very early and everyone is very cross. They don't like it in America. They don't and that will be the first thing I say and you know it. I'll be like, apparently you guys don't like cunts. And they won't like that.

They won't like it and they'll leave. No, it'll be all right. You'll be all right. Just don't. I'll do it with a cheek, I'll do it with a cheeky smile. Yeah. Do that. I'll go, I'll go. That's what, that's a term of in dim and in. Yeah, there you go. Subvert it a bit. Own it. Own it. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, of all the places to have three days to kill New York, a good good one.

I think so, yeah. And I'm going to see David Mills. Who's David? Stand up a comedian. You don't know David Mills. You don't know David. Okay, he's brilliant. He was over here for many years, but he's back home in New York

and we're going to hook up. Not in a sex way. Don't say hook up. Not in a sex way. Because I've done that in America. I've said hooking up and they're like, what? Yeah, I just realized what he said. Well, he's a gay, gay man and I'm a gay lady.

Yeah, I know, but it still sounds like you're fucking. It would be a kind of, it would be a different kind of gay sex. Yeah, it's a hook up. Okay. That's what they could. I think, yeah, there'd be nothing going up if I got naked for him. I don't know what I'm talking about this. David, I'm so sorry.

I do apologise. We have said your name several times. He's such a handsome man as well. Maybe we'll hook up. Don't let me do it up. Keep our options open. Anyway, that's what I'm doing and I'll keep you posted. I am nervous.

Oh, that was so sweet. That was so sweet. That was the final postcripted admission. It's amazing that. I'm really nervous. I'm really nervous. But that's a good thing. That means that the stakes are high.

It's worth doing. Yeah, but also, like, I've never performed in America before, but I'm sure I've heard that they're nice. They like you as well. You've got loads of, like, since you went viral, a lot of those people are Americans. Yeah, they do. They don't know.

You've got an agent there. How could you pick up an agent there if you haven't got a connection there? I mean, I've got a connection, but I haven't performed in the United States of America. Yeah, but no one would book you at tour if they do. didn't think it would sell. Sure. It has sold.

But whether or not people are able to enjoy it. Are there still available? Guys, if you live in Austin or Philadelphia, please help me out. But some shows have sold out. New York. New York! Here she goes.

Yeah, Boston, D.C., Chicago. Sold out? Okay. L.A. This is super. L.A. sold out? Yeah, babe. Oh my God.

Well, actually, I've got a second show for L.A. Look, I don't like talking about myself. Well, just fucking talk about it. This is very, very exciting. And of course you're a bit nervous because it's exciting. It's that weird little sweet spot between excited and shooting yourself. And it is a good place. Yeah, and also because the show is just a mixture of loads of things.

It's your greatest hits, base. It's your greatest hits. It's kind of my greatest hits. It might be my greatest hits or it might be just hits. But you can mix it up. I think I'm going to mix it up show to show. It's going to be different every time. We'll see.

Oh, my God. How exciting. I think it's going to be great. They're going to love you, going to break America. It's going to be like the Beatles. Oh my God, I can't wait to be born Gartney. Finally. Kerry, who are we speaking to today?

Well, today we are talking to the wonderful Natalie Cassidy. I can't believe she said yes. She came in, we chatted and she likes to chat. She's got a podcast where she chats. I'm like, will you come on our podcast and chat? She's like, yeah. She was absolutely brilliant to talk to her. And it was weird because I was a little bit starstruck meeting.

and she was really starstruck meeting you. It was a starstruck. We were all starstruck. We were in a starstruck strike. Oh my God. Anyway, the brilliant, listen to all the wonderful warmth and charisma of the brilliant Natalie Cassidy.

Whereabouts are you? South London. Near Crystal Palace, that's all the way. Oh, just gets worse. What? Well, I'm North London. South London. I'd rather go to Paris.

Whereabouts in North London? Did you go up? Is Linton. Did you? Yeah. Whereabouts in Isles? Essex Road. Oh my God.

You were right in the... Yeah, that's pretty central. But it's not, you know, it wasn't as drenched as it is now. Oh, no. It's super drenchedified now. I mean, that sort of... I mean, Angel, when I was growing up, when I was a kid, was not posh at 20. How old are you?

49. Okay. There used to be a punk club in Angel called the slime light that I used to go to with my friend. The slime light? Yeah, right around the back of Angel Station. And it used to sort of start... I wasn't a punk, by the way.

He used to open it around sort of midnight and then like it'd go through the night and then they'd get the first tube home. Was it fans? It was awful. It was just awful.

But DJs? And I had a bob so I didn't really blend in with the folks. But my friend was a bunk. It was all around that grungy time like the early mid-90s. It was awful. It was awful, Natalie.

But it certainly wasn't gentrified. No, no. I think that is Linton I feel like that has been gentrified in the last. I'd say 10, 15 years. Yeah, probably 20. I'm not bothered.

I don't want to go back there. I'm not interested in. No, you're out of it, mate. I'm out of it. I've got my memories. I've got my chapel market, my Essex Road. So you don't live in North London anymore, so you've moved. Yes.

East. Well, I find if you're from Islington, you just go up the A-10. You're either in West and Field. Yeah, because I'm from West London and everyone goes out west on the 840. I love this conversation. It's roads. It's just roads. It's roads.

Are you sure you not? stand-up comedian because this is classic stand-up comedy chat in a green room. I'm not, but, you know, I'm obsessed with you all and follow you all. She's stand-up comedian-adjacent. Yeah. I'll give you two years. You'll be on the open mid-second. No, I won't.

I could see that. I could see you doing stand-up. I could be myself even just saying that. I feel like I'm going to shit myself. Would you really, like, if you, say, for example, we were like, okay, right, now we're going to sort you out with a day. No. We will coach you in five minutes. No way.

You'd love it. One gig in, you'd be like, right, I'm booking a tour. You would. You'd come out, you'd be on such a hurry, but like, why have I never done this before? Honestly, I've actually got palpitations. I've got real nerves on stage. It's really, really bad. Really bad nerves on stage.

Have you ever done a play? Yeah. What was it? Yeah, no, I've done a, I did a tour. I did bedroom fast, Alan Akebourne play. Is this after EastEnd? After Eastenders, sort of in my break. because I left EastEnders.

I was 22 and then I had eight years off. Oh, did you? Yeah, and you did loads of other stuff in that break? And I did loads of bits there. And a lot of theatre? Lots of theatre. Right. And I did, I was at Chichester Festival Theatre, really harsh.

Oh, that's beautiful theatre. What was the play? It was the Cherry Orchard. Oh my goodness. Check off. With Frank Finley. I was with fucking Dame Diana Rig. What?

You can't say I was with fucking Dame die. You can. You negate the Dame. You did. The name drop. She was amazing. She loved me. We used to drink, it was called champagne cider from a little tiny pub out near Chichita.

It was kind of a champagne but a cider. One of the best drink. I need to find it again. And we'd sit and we'd drink and she really sort of took a shine to me. And Frank Finley did. But I always go for the oldies. But Diana Rigg is like an icon, a legend. And probably of everybody, that would be the person I'd be like,

you know, like totally. So she play Ranef Skiya? Yes. I did the cherry orchards. Yes, all right. And who was playing trougham off? Trot him off. Trot him, is it?

Yeah. Wow. I can't remember now. But someone else was in it. I love the cherry archers. There was just loads of people in it who did really, really well and me. Did you enjoy it? Natalie.

I loved it. But what I was going to say about the nerves. A national treasure, Natalie Cassidy. But what I was going to say about the nerves is my part was, I was the first person on stage. and I had to come on and light a candle with a match. Oh my God, with your hands. I genuinely was like absolutely petrified every single night. How did you do it then?

I don't know, I just did. You just do, don't you? Doctor theatre takes over. Darling. Oh, it sounds thrilling though. What a fabulous job to have done. It was great amazing. Yes.

And someone said to me when I left EastEnders, I don't know why you're leaving here. you're never going to be able to go and do check off. Oh, they sound great that person, whoever that was. It was one of the first things I did. Well, fuck them. Yeah, I mean, who literally says that? Who says that?

I don't know why you've done that in your life. It's your career's over, darling. Was your plan to go and do some theatre? Was that always the intention? Yeah, listen, I'm always open for everything. Right. So I was kind of ready to do whatever. So I went and did two plays.

Then I did a fitness DVD and I did Big Brother as well. Oh, yes, you did. So I just did loads of stuff. You have lived your full life. That is wild. And when you got asked to do Big Brother, what, what, because it's such a, you know, a lot of money. Right.

I was going to say, what was the incentive? Okay. I love it. That's the only reason. Not loads of money in the old checkoff. Not a lot there. No, but I'll supplement it with a bit of fitness DVD and a Big Brother. Big Brother is one of those shows where you think,

when you go now, you're going in with your eyes open, You understand what the show is, what it's all about, how long, you know, the maximum time you're going to be in there, the mind games that they're going to play with you. How did you deal with that? I couldn't go in. I'd get knocked out first week. I'd be terrible.

Why? Why would you be terrible? She'd just be too angry. I've got no filter. And you've got to have a filter, right? Yeah, I mean, I just went in, cooked, cleaned, had a chat with Denise Welch. Frankie Kikosa was in there with me.

You didn't get anxious or it, didn't wind you up. Didn't get, like, a bit jump. But I came out really early. I was so lucky. The film was like, this is a travesty that you're out early. I was like, this is it amazing. This is double win.

We should get to the photos. Yes, let's get to the photos. We're getting into your life story via a different route, but we should go in through the route of the medium of the podcast. Well, really? Which is the photos. Let's go to the first photograph then, right, Natalie. Do you want to talk to us about which one is one?

Have I done them in order? No, but I'm assuming that. Well, that's, yeah, that's the first one, I suppose. That looks like a kind of slightly old photos. childhood photo. You're in a lovely velvet dress. Beautiful velvet dress. So I,

I reckon I'm about 18, about two there, I reckon. Right. But I really, that's my mum. Right. And I just really like it because Joni, my daughter now,

really looks like me in this picture. Oh really? And my mum's face is how I feel every day with my daughter because she drives me nuts. Do you know what I mean? But in a really nice way,

but my mum just looks. It's like, do whatever you want. Is that a box of black magic? Yeah, so she's got the chocolate, and I reckon I've gone, can I have a chocolate? Do you want a chocolate? I like these chocolates

and I reckon I don't, I reckon I didn't stop talking, like my daughter now. Look at your mum's face, she's like, all right, babe, all right. Do you want chocolate or don't you want to chocolate? Do you want a chocolate or do you not want to fucking chocolate? You see, it is, I can see why you love that picture

because actually, I don't interpret it as her looking pissed off. She just looks stoic. sort of patient, but also like the way mothers look at their daughters, it's complex, in it? Because that is affection as well. It's affection, but I think it's, I'm tired and you're driving me mad as well, which I love. But you do look cute. You look cute.

She's like, you're annoying, but you've got a lovely little dress on. You're clearly a very confident child, just slightly gesturing. I was very spoiled as a child, because I've got two older brothers. So my brothers were 15 and 18 when I came along. Oh, wow. Okay, so there was a big gap. It was a massive gap. And then I just got spoiled.

So you got, you were literally like an only child then as you were growing up. But also I wanted to put that in because I haven't got really any pictures of my mum. And I think it's really, really important to get across on this very special podcast. Take photo. Like if you don't like pictures, it's not about you. Don't be selfish because my mum would hide her face. My mum does that. Yeah, she's not like having a picture taken.

I barely got any photos of my mum. Well, I lost her when I was 19 and you look around and you go through it. and you go, oh, this is what I've got me, you know, on the stairs, and I'm looking pissed off. Oh, and of course, now we've got the phones, haven't we? So we're taking the phones constantly, but then it is more of a big deal. What's going to happen with the pictures on the phone? Because it scares me.

They go on a cloud. They don't overthink it because I get anxious about all this. They go on a cloud, all right? They're on that cloud. And what's happened? If I died tomorrow. They're on there. They're just there.

Well, someone will go up on your cloud. Yeah. You can give, do you know what? you can do, they don't be morbid, but you can do that thing where you give permission for somebody to have access to all of your cloud. Don't worry about it. I've got access to my brother's cloud so that if he dies, I have access to his cloud and he's access. It's like power of attorney for someone's cloud. Yeah, I never knew that. Have you got any videos of your mom? I've got my mum and dad's wedding video on a cine film. Oh, that's good. So I've got a bit of that on a VHS that's been

transferred and I've got, you know, pictures of her wedding day and stuff. There's just not a lot there. No, I've got nothing. I've got no video stuff of my mum and dad, nothing. But people weren't really taking photos in quite the same way. It was expensive. You had to go and get them flipping, like, processed and all of that. And when they took, there's always a finger in front of it. They're out of focus.

I know, but they're great, aren't they? Well, I do. I like retro pictures. And now people put filters on to make them look. To look retro, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, um, so. That's a rare picture. Your mum sadly died when you, what, when you were 19?

19, yeah. Were you, did you guys have a good relationship? Very much so, but at that age You're taken for granted, don't you? Yeah, you just don't want to be at home. You know, from 15, I'd say, I think, 15 to, well, 14 to 24, 25, really, I think you've got that real big part of your life where your parents just aren't the number one priority. Absolutely. And you went out and about and you're doing your own stuff and you don't really care, you know, you don't want to be there.

And suddenly she sort of went and you go, oh, shit, I'm never going to get that time back. Was it sudden? Yeah. We were around there on a Sunday lunch time, and then Monday she went, she died. Wow. So, an aneurysm, yeah. She died of an aneurysm? Oh, my God, that's how my mum went as well.

Oh, really? Yeah, just gone. But it's really shocking, isn't it? Yeah, it's really, really shocking. And 19 is young to lose your mum. And were you already doing acting and all that stuff by then? Yeah, I mean, I was in EastEnders at 10. Oh, my goodness.

Oh, so you were super busy. Yeah. And your mum had been a part of that. And she facilitated that. She helped me, she chaperone me, big part of all of that. up and then sort of 14, 15 crept in. And I think for her chaperoning goes then, you know, when you're 16, that all goes. So you go on your own.

And I think it was that point where I think mum felt a bit lost, you know, because I was out on my own. And then, yeah, a few years later, I lost her. But, you know, I was still around there talking to him doing, you know, I was still there. But not as much. But she got to see your success. She did. And, I mean, given that you were so successful, so young. Yeah, she was very, very proud.

I mean, that is really unusual, isn't it? It is, yeah. I mean, how did you? How did you start? Like, I'm really fascinated about how children get, you know, how you get to that point where you're on one of the most successful and the most watched soap opera in the country. It's such a huge.

It is, but it's all luck. So what was the journey to that? I went to Anashear. Right. So I went to Anasher Theatre in Islington. It was Friday night, two-quid a class or whatever. My mate went. My mum looked after my nan.

at home. So I grew up at home with my nanny Liz living in our house because she was poorly. So my mum, we never went anywhere. Never went on holiday. Like never went out. Never had many hobbies. And my mate's mum said, oh, you know, we're going to go to Anna Shur. Does Natalie want to tag along? So I went to this class because my mum never would have been able to take me. And the casting directors used to come in there

because obviously it was, you know, that kind of Phil Daniels was from there. And what did your mum think about? Was it just a kind of of like, this is brilliant? Or was there any like, ah, school? Mum and Dad never watched EastEnders. They watched Corrie. Yeah. I think it was that kind of northern, north and south.

Oh, are they northern? No, no, South, but they were like that. Ain't like that in the East End. Right. We watch the one we don't know. Right, okay, fair enough. Fair enough. Yeah.

And no actors in the family, although my granddad apparently was a bit of an entertainer in the pubs and a bit of a Tic Tac Man and that sort of thing. I never met my granddad. But yeah, they used. had no idea what I was getting into really. Obviously they had an idea but never knew how long it was going to be before. Do you think they might have helped a bit? Like it wasn't, I think so and that's, kept your feet on the ground. Very much so. Yeah. My brother Tony though,

he says, so he would have been about 24, 25 and he said he went and sat in McDonald's staring out the window for about an hour with a big Mac thinking my sister's going to be in his standards. It's really weird. Really? It's a vividly for him. I think he got it more. So what was that like as a kid? Because being a kid, you want to just blend in, don't you? What was that like having that spotlight on you? It was pretty easy at the beginning because you only, you only do 40 days a year. Right. You know what I mean? With the rules and all of that of child work and what have you. So I did 40 days a year. So I was at school quite a lot. And then at 13, that changes to 80 days. So I did that. And then at 16, it's like, well, what do you want to do?

you can you can carry on here because we really want you here and you can go do further education you really were wanted I mean Sonnyu was such a lovely character and there's so much affection for her it just grew and grew and grew

yeah and I was given the opportunity you have a lot of good storylines you know I was very lucky very fortunate and I loved it so that was it that's what I was going to do but in terms of being recognised and all of that

I can't really remember not being recognised that's such a weird feeling so it's just sort of normal to me and I suppose you have like a different, completely different adolescence because you have that on set with a, you know,

like we're at school or we go to college or whatever it is and then you're having that a month amongst a separate kind of family I suppose. East End has become a family don't they? Yeah, it was, yeah, very much so. And you're also surrounded by every generation a person, which is amazing.

Yeah, I usual. Because you know, you know, I could have, again, I always sort of went to people that were older than me so my friends were Wendy Richard and my friends were June Brown and Barbara and you know her I'd go away with June we'd go to Malta like for a week really when I was 17 18 she's an icon she was in the late 70s you just got on and had a good time we just had a great time together that's so lovely yeah and also it is because you lost your mum young that you kind of did uh no that was probably around the time my mum was still around

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Some of the pictures, because you set another one of you as a kid, the collars, what is it with you and big collars? I don't know, it was what mum put me in. It's because she had two boys and she just wanted to dress me up like a dolly. She has dressed you up like a dolly. It's literally like you've got an Elizabethan ruff around your neck there. Cross between an Elizabethan ruff and a doily. It's brilliant. It's brilliant.

And I like that you're drinking water out of a wine glass. Can you see that? Oh, yeah. Very sophisticated. What's going on in that picture? Is that like a little dinner party? So that is my niece, Maria. But you're the same age.

You look like this. Right. So my brother had Maria when I was three. So I was an auntie at three. That must have been a bit odd. Again, feeding into this old lady vibe from very young. Oh, my God, at six, you're an auntie. At three?

Oh, I'm three. Three. I was an auntie. Did she call you auntie? She called me Natalie, never auntie, and now she'll call me auntie sometimes. But you're practically the same age? We are, and she's, it's a sister, a niece, a mate, it's the weirdest thing. And then she's also got a sister who's six years younger than her, so there's nine years between me and else,

but she's just about to have her baby. So I've got loads of great nieces and nephews. So I'm a great auntie. But I'm a bit of everything, because mum died. I'm also like a nan. Yeah, yeah. So I sort of... You're taking over the matriarch.

I do the lot. Yeah. Yeah, I am, yeah. Of the family. But they mean the world to me and I like to put that one in because it's one of my faves. It is a lovely picture. You do look like you're sort of hosting a late night culture show. Join us after the break where we'll be discussing the...

She's got the same, like the same outfit going on. Oh, yeah. Oh, it's a commitment to collars. What year are we looking at? And velvet. And velvet. I love it. Yeah, lovely velvet. I think...

80s? I'm definitely 80s, yeah. There were a lot of crushed velvet, big collar dresses. I reckon 88, 89, I reckon we go in there. Yeah. Yeah. That's got that 80s vibe to that, definitely. You look like you've been interrupted in a very deep conversation.

I do. I do look really upset about it. Discussing check off. Future aspirations. I will stop for a photograph, but I'm not happy about it. So you grew up in Isington. You've got two older brothers. Yeah.

And so, but it was actually your niece that you're probably closest to in terms of hanging out. And, you know, did you guys like, muck about together? She lived in Hertfordshire at the time, very close to where I am now. But she'd come over for all the holidays. So she'd come over for six-week holidays or she'd come over for, you know, a week after Christmas. And sort of all the holiday stuff. So we'd be really close, really, really close. Is that what took you out to that part of the country then?

Yeah. So your family had started to drift out there already. We're all together. We're all sort of 10, 15 minutes from each other still. In the same village? Not the same village. But very close. Her sister's up the road and then they're up the road.

Yeah, it's all very close. Oh, that sounds lovely. What age were you when you left London then? So mum and dad decided to move up that way and I was 16. Right. So we all moved together and then I bought a flat up that way when I was 18. Never looked back, London. No, I love London.

I love coming into London. Yeah. Then I left EastEnders, 22-ish. Was that a difficult decision to leave EastEnders? Like, I can't imagine. Yeah, after all those years and success. It was the right thing to do. I'd been there 12 years.

I know, but some people, I know looking at Ian Beal. Well, but I never, I didn't. Yes, you're quite right. Some people, Ken Barlow, mate, all the way. I know, but I thought, come on. I've got to see what's going on. Also, really, what was that it? You were just like.

I was just 22. I thought I've not done anything else. Yeah, because you started at 10. It's not like getting a job in your early 20s and continuing until, because you can say, right, well, I've had a. a bit of a life or whatever, but from 10 to 22, that's such a big, that's all your formative. Yes. That takes just strong will to go, I want to go.

Yeah, it's a big deal to leave that. Yeah, I think that's my personality though. I think if I get something in my head, I just got to do it. It doesn't matter what anyone says. And you were like, I want to do other stuff. I want to act in other stuff. I want to act in other stuff. I just want to go, you know, I don't want to be chained to that call sheet.

So how long was the break? Eight years. And when you went back, how did that go? What did you pick up the phone and was like, can I? Can I come back now or they rowing? Dominic, Dominic, well, Collins, a lovely guy. He phoned and said, can we have a drink and a chat? And he said, would you come back? And he said, well, we'll see how it goes.

Three or six months. I said, I'm not doing that. If I come back, I'm coming back. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he was like, all right then. And I think I got a year. Maybe it was six on six.

I can't quite remember. But yeah, it was brilliant. And I'd had Eliza at that point. So Eliza at that point. So it was perfect for family life. So it was really perfect. And again, a bit more security. Did you say you're on another break at the moment?

I'm on a break at the moment. Oh, are you? So how long did you... That's why we've got her here. Yeah, I was going to say. That's what a coincidence. So this break that you're on now, how long is that for, do you think? It's...

I can't really say. Okay, fair enough. Fair enough. I've been on a break for about three months, three and a half months, so it's been really, really lovely. Again, just to have a little breather and do some other stuff. Oh, great. I'll have to ask you what stuff you got in the pipeline? I'm doing...

a documentary for Channel 4, which is quite funny. Oh, what's that great? Well, I just want to laugh because it's so funny because I'm presenting this kind of consumer show. Yeah. So I feel a bit like Greg Wallace. You know, he does sort of inside the factory. You can't turn your hand to almost anything, can't you?

You do a lot of different types of stuff. Yeah, I've always sort of... You've got your own podcast as well, haven't you? I do. Yeah. Life with nap. Live with nap, brilliant. And what do you talk?

What's the podcast about that? It's just very mundane. It's just me chatting absolute rubbish. No, it's all. different things. That's what this is. Yeah, aren't they all? But I have my marks on it, my fiancée's on it, the kids sometimes come on, my brother will come on, my niece is who I'm talking about, or I'll get an odd guest on whoever, I've got Tom Allen on soon, talking about these tomato plants. It's just very random. Right. It's just really, it's very, very rare.

But I love it and I do it at home. Yeah. I've built this, I've got this sort of set up, not as professional as this, but at home. Yeah. And I just love it. I really, really enjoy it. Well, people listen to it because they like you and they want you. They want to hang out with you, isn't it? It's like having your company in the kitchen. Which one's the next one? Could this one be the next one? What's going on in that?

So that is me and Mark, so that's my fiancé now. We've been together. I've been engaged to him for eight years. But we met, I thought this picture was really lovely because we met on set of EastEnders because he's a cameraman. Oh, right. So I really like that photo. It's a happy one and it was kind of sort of at the beginning of.

So it's almost like you kind of, that's you meeting or around that time. Well, around that sort of time. Yeah. The flush of love. That is the, that's two people that have just got together. Yeah. Isn't it? Who took that picture? I think it was one of the photographers that we have, you know, around.

And they just happened to capture something really lovely. I mean, that's where you are going to meet someone, isn't it? On set, because you're working ridiculous hours. What are the hours that you work on three standards? Well, it's all dependent. If you're super, super busy in the story, it's like anything else, isn't it? If you're really, really busy in the story

and you're in every scene, then you're in at 7 and you finish at 7pm and you have 12 scenes to learn, you've got to go home and do it, and that'll be really, really busy. Yeah. But if you're popping in and saying, hello, Kav, can I have a bacon sandwich? You might pop in at 10 and you'll be done by 1 o'clock. That sounds like, that's the part I want. Yeah, yeah.

Have a bacon sandwich. Right, I'll be off a bacon sandwich. then, that's me done, that's the day's one. That used to be half of the dialogue, wasn't it, in the 80s? Cup of tea, please, Keff. I have a cup of tea and a bike and roll, Cathy. So how did this flirtation evolve then on set? Well, it just, yeah, as it does, I just thought, oh, he's quite handsome.

He started talking to people and saying, what's his name and what's... But he'd been there a while before I'd come back, if that makes sense, because I went back in that eight-year gap. Right, you know. And it was kind of... back. Well, very, very interesting. So we've started dating and that was that and it was very, you know, they just moved fast.

Move fast and it was brilliant and that was that really. And I had Eliza as well. I had Eliza who was three and that came out of, you know, a not so great relationship and he was just brilliant about everything. Right. I mean, everything was just worked. Did he have kids as well? No, he didn't have any kids.

But he just was happy to. Just so happy. And he said, and then I met Eliza, and it sort of doubled my excitement. Yeah, yeah. So it was just excellent, and it was brilliant, you know. But then I found out from one of his mates, I met, obviously started meeting the mates of you. And one of his mates said, Mark, you have told her about when you were younger. He said, no.

Okay. And he had a crush on Sonia. No. From when he was really little. Really? Oh, you're kidding. It was in the stars. And he'd engineered a life.

Really weird. Yes. That's wild. Mad. And he's like, I'm going to, I'm going to be a cameraman. And I'm just going to wait this out. I'm going to wait this out. She'll be back.

Eight years I'll wait. I'll skill up and I'll get on that set. And I'll get on that set. But he was only, again, he was backwards forwards because he's freelance. So he's not there all the time. Oh, okay. So he does a lot of sort of really great stuff. What a lovely job.

I always think being a camera person is a pretty great. It's very varied as well. Yeah, you can go all over the place. He does a lot of anti-lives and ballets and he's just doing the proms. So he works on a multi-cam set like EastEnders or sports. Sitcoms or sports. Sit-coms, live shows Royal Albert Hall, ballets, that sort of stuff. You can do the Queen's funeral.

Yeah, it does a lot of the Royal stuff. Someone told me that when the Queen died, everyone who was on. I don't know, because I don't know if you can use it because it might be. She died a while ago. It's fact. It might be secrets. Okay. I know, but there was a name friend.

and all of that. Yeah, exactly. They had a code name. There was a code name for when she goes. There's a code name. Apparently, anyone I know that was on a set or around anyone that was a camera operator, every single one got a text immediately to book them for the date of the funeral because they had such coverage.

So all the camera operators practically in the country were booked immediately for that day. Wow, that's mad. That's crazy, isn't it? Yeah. Where was he? He also did the Jubilee. stuff. Right.

And he got, I think he... See, so we have to go on hush toes. I don't know. Because you don't know if it's like... I don't know. I don't know. The last kind of family shot of her on the balcony.

Yeah. That kind of famous Jubilee. Yeah. He did that. Did he? What? So where was he positioned then? I mean, there were other people doing it as well.

He'll kill me. I'll be like, why have you said, I've done that? Only me. But he did. But that is quite an extraordinary thing. It was. Yeah.

So he'd have been in front of Buckingham Palace. Yeah, kind of down the mark, you know. Yeah. And he was doing that. On the mall. Yeah. Whatever you think about the Royal Family, spoiler alert, I'm not interested.

But there's something about these that are still, that still matter. But as a show, which is basically what the Royal Family, as a piece of theatre, fucking hell, it's a big show. It's a big show. And there's a lot of nuts and bolts. And your fellow is one of the cameramen that caught that I call that.

Yeah, that's what I mean. I'm more interested in the whole shabang. Yeah. Yeah. Rather than the individual shabang shing. The whole shabang rather of the shabang shang. Sure. Yeah.

Struggling with that. Good. So your leaning towards potentially may be directing and your partner being a camera. You're steering that? I know. I really like that idea. I just want more women to go into directing. I think it's great.

Oh, my God. Don't get into that. Why? Natalie, I can't even get in. Why? Because every time we try, nobody wants it. We've pitched and we've pitched, but I want you to direct, and I want to be in a thing. You can't direct something that doesn't exist.

What am I supposed to do here? Well, you're going into EastEnders, so you'll build it up from there, won't you? Because you'll start directing some EastEnders, and then you'll be like, now I want to get out there and do some other stuff. Has anyone met my new life coach, Kerry Goldman? Here she is, Kerry Godman. She's your new manager, actually. When I saw you directing on that program, I was over the moon. I was like, this is great.

No, I would. I would love to. I would love to. Because Cathy Burt did, didn't she? She does loads of directing. So I feel like that is something that really excites. Nina Conti. Nina Conti's directing.

There are more women doing it now. I saw a little Kate Winslet reel of her encouraging women to do it. She's like you've got to just do it. Especially when you've got kids, it's hard and the hours are mad and blah blah blah. But she's like, it's hard, but you've got to do it. You do it. I don't you do it. Yeah, exactly.

I've got a lot on. I don't know. I've got so much going on. The bucks landed on you, mate. Yeah, sure. It's hard though, isn't it directing? You made it look easy. Natalie.

Oh, thank you. No, I would love to at some point. What's the next photograph here? So is it that one? Yeah, so it's just, you know. They're the girls. There's such a gorgeous picture. There's Liza, my oldest.

It's on the right there. Little Joni is the other side. I'm sure you can see what I mean the resemblance between me and the little one. We're quite like, aren't we there? Very much. And that's my mark in the middle. But really, it's just,

We were in Colmore. We were down in Colmore. We absolutely love Cornwall. It's just at the best. I just want to live there, really. I love going to, I love going to Cornwall. That's one of my favourite places for a holiday. It is really far.

It's not that far. It is. How can you say Cornwall's far? People say that to me. They're like, oh, so far, we're off to Dubai now. No, it's true. I went to Japan this summer. I went to Turkey.

That took all day. Yeah, well, don't start me up about Japan. It was amazing. It was amazing. It was amazing. But, oh, my God, it was so far. You know, when you're on a plane, for just days.

It felt like days. I went to sleep, woke up, still on a plane, had a meal. I'd be really, really worried about DVD and stuff. Oh, that's what you're saying fromosis and all that. You can get socks for that. Yeah, but then you, I did that. I told you about the time I wore those socks. What?

And then my thigh swelled up. What? My calf was fine. It was just pushing it all up. Just had one big fat thigh. Apparently you've got to do more than just wear socks. No. That's the feedback.

All of this makes Cornwall sound more appealing. Take some aspirin. 3 o'clock in the morning, a alarm set, chuck the kids in the car in their pyjamas. 3 o'clock in the morning. This is great advice. Kids in their pajamas.

Kids in their pajamas, chuck them in the car. They're down there by 9. Breakfast. And then Mark drives all... Well, you say that. No, but Mark drives all the way. He's a legend. I sleep all the way there.

Yeah. And then when he gets there, we all have our breakfast. He has a little kit for a couple of hours. So I need Mark. I need Mark. I need a mark. You need Mark.

I need Mark to get up, get me up, get my family up and drive me down there. Yeah. Is Mark free? Poor Mark that is so much stick. Does he why? Yeah, that's broadcasting. It's because he's beloved, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah, it is. And why are you not getting married then? Why are you not doing that? Do you know what? It's a lot of money, isn't it? Yeah, I know, but... That's not it. Money-based, aren't it?

No, I tell you what, it is. It's time and budget. It is because I go, I'll only do something small. I don't need to... You just do it small, then? No, but I will never... I will do it small, but I want to be at the Ledbury. I want a Michelin Star meal or I'm just a bit of a snob, genuinely.

Right. If I do so, I want the best flowers and I will want a designer suit or a... Okay, you need to go back into Celebrity Big Brother or like bang out a DVD, it's fitness DVD. Bang, that's your wedding covered. Yeah, possibly. Come on. Yeah, maybe. Let's make this happen.

Your directing career, your wedding. You're so... I've never seen... I've got controlling. Controlling. I'm invested. Because I see you on social media. So now I feel like we're mates.

So now I feel like I'm telling you what's due. Yeah. It's what you're doing. Is it? I'm a person out of marriage. Really quick. I'm not getting married. We've already talked about this.

Yes, I know, but we can go back. I don't know why gave people to get married now. It's a long-term relationships. I resent it. And you've got kids. But I want the do. You want the do, but I don't want the do. I'm having my 50th.

Come to that. Oh, okay. There we go. There's a do. Okay. I want, I would like a little do. Yeah, but I mean...

I want everyone dressed up. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, it's fun. Best wine, best food. Really nice flowers. Sounds great. By the time you do it, by the time you do it... This sounds incredible.

I know, but by the time you do it, it's fortune. Yeah. I'm not doing to... Well, don't go to Turkey next year. Don't go, don't have... Just stay in a shack in Cornwall. Save the money. It's more money going to Cornwall than it is on holiday.

I'm brought. Oh, yeah, no, that's true. It's not cheaper going to Cornwall. No. It's not. No, I get that. That's annoying. What?

You're a muffler. You don't hear it? Oh, I don't even notice it. I usually drown it out with the radio. How's this? Oh, yeah, way better. Save on insurance by switching to Bel Air Direct and use the money to fix your car.

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This is big. Get the new iPhone 17 Pro at tellus.com slash iPhone 17 Pro on select plans. Conditions and exclusions apply. What's this picture of you on a boat having seemingly the time of your life? That is from Greece, so I was happy in Greece. That is a great picture. So you're on a boat?

We are on a boat from the hotel. Drinking champagne? Drinking some champagne. Oh, wow. My 13-year-old also has a champagne, but you know, we do it the French way. I reckon introduce them early Yeah, yeah No, let me have a little drink on a holiday

That is my daughter Oh my god That is wild I just love it I love that picture Yeah Because we're getting on And she's not shouting at me And I'm not shouting at her

So that's nice Oh that's lovely Teenage daughters That can't be easy It's really hard work It is yeah Because you've got one And you've got one

I don't have one Well I'm at the other end I was a teenage daughter Yeah It's tricky I mean My teenage daughter is near nearly 18 now.

How is that now? I'm loving that now because the 13, 14, so your daughter's 13, did you say? Yeah, it should be 14 in a couple of weeks. Tricky, tricky times. Not a shouting, a lot of like blaming, lots of blaming. It's my fault, everything's shit. Yeah, yeah. I'm like, no, it's my fault you're alive.

So let's go right back to whose fault's who's. Darling, could you just pick that uniform up that I've just bought? Yeah. Because we just started school. So could it not be just... scrunched up on the floor. No respect at all. And you've gone at it like that, haven't you?

You've not said it shittily. And they come back at you like, stop now. Just stop now again. It goes from first to fifth gear in the blink. But if you just picked it out, I wouldn't have to say it. And you do it in that voice. I love that voice. I do that.

I'm not. How long can you maintain that for? Well, I mean, in my case, specifically. 17 years. I agree with you. I think, right, I sort of think, right, I'm not going to go in aggressive. I do. I do.

And then before you know it, you're having a screaming match. Full-on, massive fight. Yeah. But it does get better. Does it? And now my son is 14. I know, but boys are different. Boys are different.

But I'm determined, because you do a lot of stuff about the difference between mothers treat their sons, and I'm very mindful of that. Okay, you're welcome. You've got life coaching skills. So I'm like, I'm not going to have different rules for my daughter and different rules for my son. He can pick up his pants that he's kept in a sort of, sculpture of his fucking ass

that he's left in the trousers. I'm like, what is this? An art installation and pick it up! So I try and just equal out

my fury on to both of my children. Yeah. But it does get better. That's good. Once that one comes through it, the eight-year-old would just be coming in.

Oh, God. Yeah. The great thing, you've timed it better than us, though. Well, me, not you, is menopause, perimenopause whilst you've got pubescent children.

So it's a hormonal spit roast. I can't think of another word of phrase. I'm glad we brought spit roast in right at the end. Sorry. I don't mind it. I couldn't think of a different way of phrasing. I don't mind you saying it, not the spit roast is. No.

But when you have moments like that. Oh, it's about pure joy and gold. Yeah. Having a lot of fun. I need that as my screensaver, I think, at the moment, just to remember. When things are challenging, remember it. And we do have a laugh. We do have a laugh and we are mates

and then she'll go, I just don't tell you anything. I'd love to tell you everything, but I just don't tell you nothing. Oh, really? Oh, that's shame. What does she think about what you do? What's she make of... Oh, she's, yeah, very proud of me. What's her thing?

Is she going into the sense? Oh, no. It is genetic. Look at your daughter. Is she? Yeah, she loves it. And also, when she was young, she was like, oh, I don't want to do that. It looks awful.

No, she hasn't interested. And now she likes it. Yeah. Yeah. But that's all right. I mean, it's a precarious. What is a solid job? Medicine.

Medicine. Yeah. Teaching. Engineering. Loads. Yeah. All right. Who's got a job for life?

I mean, quite a few people. All those people. All those people. But anyway, it makes her happy. That's true. Matt, thanks so much for coming. It's an absolute pleasure. Well, thank you.

Thank you. And also, like, a fill of a film of. great idea for the pod. I love it with the pictures and that. It's really, really good. Because we're quite nosy. So, it's good. Because you could just talk and, we're all just talkers. You could just talk and talk and talk and talk. Yeah. But when you got a picture to have a right old look at someone's life. It's really good idea. Well done you too. It's his idea. Oh, sorry. Well, done you. Really, we could have, you could have, you could have kept that to yourself and just really own it. Okay. Say it again. Um, I've really, I just love the idea of the pod, you know, with all the pictures and that's brilliant. It's brilliant. It's brilliant. It's brilliant. Keep coming up with another idea. You can write and I can direct something.

Oh yeah We'll do that We'll pitch it Lovely I'm Max Rushden I'm David O'Dardy And we'd like to invite you to listen To our new podcast

What Did You Do Yesterday It's a show that asks guests The Big Question Quite literally What did you do yesterday That's it That is it Max

I'm still not sure Where do we put the stress Is it What did you do yesterday What did you do yesterday You know what I mean What did you do yesterday I'm really down playing

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