That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Natalie Cassidy

Episode Date: December 12, 2023

Eastenders' very own Natalie Cassidy joins Gaby for a natter about all things joyful.We've been trying to get Nat in the studio for MONTHS! And finally, we managed it... She chats to Gaby about her character Sonia, being in a soap from such a young age and how lucky she feels for the career she has had. Gaby, as you may know, is a HUUUUGE Eastenders fan - so be prepared for some top trumps knowledge! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most wonderful thing, at last, to get the greatest woman on the planet on this show. I don't think this has been more complicated for and get Natalie Cassidy on the podcast. At last. We did it. I'm so sorry it's taken so long. No, because you never know what your schedule is. No. You only know on a Friday.

Is that right? Yeah, Thursday Fridays we get our schedule. So it's just really difficult. And then obviously, you're busy and I'm busy. I'm just so pleased that it's worked out. Oh, at last. You are the most glorious being. You have just, you ooze goodness.

Well, those are you. No, shush. This is about you. This is all about you. Do you know when I was doing all my research, and obviously I've interviewed you many times, and I interviewed you when you were a child because I used to do live from EastEnders every day.

Yeah. And you haven't changed. You're still this just lovely being. How does that? It hasn't. It hasn't affected you this crazy business of EastEnders and showbiz. No, it hasn't affected me. I'm very proud about that.

How has it not? Because I've got a wonderful family, I think. And also, people say, oh, you were in it so young. And actually, I think it's been a gift. You know, being in EastEnders from 10, I've never known any different. So to me, it's just a job. I love that. I never, you know, I never got to 15, 16 and desperately wanted it.

It just sort of happened, and I sort of plodded along in it. and here I am. Okay, let's go to the How It Happened. Because you were Anna Sher, weren't you? I was at Anna Sher, yeah. So did you audition? I did an audition. Cast and directors came and that we,

Anna's was a, again, not a starry, glamorous theatre school. You'd pay £2.50 and you'd go in on a Friday night, six till eight. And Jane Deitch and Tony McHow, I believe, from EastEnders, lovely people, came to watch a class. And we did a few little bits and people. pieces, a bit of improvisation, and they picked a few of us to go up to Elstree and have an audition.

And I remember going up, 1993, it was, I think September 19th. Did you know what you were going up for? Did know what I was going up for, but it was EastEnders, but I never watched it. I was little girl, so I never knew. You were 10. I was 10, and my parents never watched EastEnders. They watched Corrie. They watched Corrie.

So, yeah, I went for this audition, and my mum got a phone call when I was at school, at primary school. So I didn't know I got picked up from school And my brother knew Before I did And my brother is 15 years older than me And what his story is Which is lovely

Is that Mummy phoned him and said Tony Your sister's going to be in EastEnders And apparently He went and sat in the McDonald's With the Big Mac And he was just staring

At the window For about half an hour Thinking My little sister's going My little sister's going to be in EastEnders Oh that's really moving It really is when he tells it as well I'm very lucky.

I've got two older brothers and they're absolutely wonderful. My whole family, I'm so fortunate with the people that I've got around me and obviously my lovely mark and lovely kids. You know, I think I'm very, very fortunate, very grateful. That's kept your feet firmly on the ground.

Very much so, yeah. So your brother's sitting there in McDonald's and you starting at EastEnders. There was never a time that I've interviewed you growing up. That's such a weird thing. I have. That's just so weird. I've said it out loud, but that you were ever

got carried away with with fame or showbiz at all. No, I really never did. And I had a break, obviously. I came out of EastEnders after 12, 13 years. I forget sometimes it'll be as terrible. I can give you your dates if you want. I've never missed an episode.

I know, you haven't. Not one episode. But yeah, so I was about 22, 23 and I came out and I had seven, eight years out of EastEnders to do other things. You did lots of stage work in that kind of well, didn't you. I did lots of stage work, and I did Big Brother as well. And it was a real array of different things, you know, some documentaries. Very much so.

I think that was really, really good. I think if I would have only been there for 30 years, I wonder if my outlook would have been different. It's nice to come out and see how lucky you are inside of it. And also what's out there as well, you know, it's good. Yeah, it's very, very good. So in that time, and I obviously probably every intervie, interview said, you ever going to go back to EastEnders? Yes.

Which is what they do. Even to Michelle College, go, no, it's never going to happen. I'm dead. Well, hey, hey, hey, there she is. No spoilers. Everyone knows now. But in that time, did you want to go back or was it inside you thought I, so what drove you in those years when people said, are you going to go back?

Well, I think, you know, if you leave, you've made the choice to leave and you can't just wander back into somewhere. That option's closed until the day that you may be knock on the door and say, I'd really like to come back, are you interested? Or someone rings up and says, we'd like you back. And I was fortunate enough that happened with lovely Dom Treadwell Collins. And he said, come on, we have a drink, and would you like to come back?

And he told me the story, and it was Carol's breast cancer, and Sonia may be getting with Tina and Tina Carter and this sort of story. And I said, I'd love to come back. So it was an easy, yes. Oh, yeah, very easy. Very easy, yes. Those, I have to say, I mean, for me, EastEnders has always been, as I said, I've never missed an episode, it's always been magical. But there are certain magical times.

And it's not just because Dom is a mutual friend of ours, but. Oh, he was wonderful. But he loved that show. Loved it. And still does. Loved it. But I have to say, our Chris, who's there now, lovely Chris Clenshaw, he's the same. He absolutely loves it.

And I think when people love it and they have a passion for it, it just shines through. It's not just a job. No. No, it's a passion. And I think we can really see that now and it's great. It's so good again. It's got the Dom Treadwell Collins stamp. And Chris, as you say, I mean, watching it again. And people I know who haven't watched it, including my daughters,

but they now watch it because they just enjoy it and they hear the music. And Harriet Thorpe is in it. We'll talk about Harriet in a minute. But they watch it. And they're drawing in. this is really good. It's so well written and you all work so hard

and I think, I don't know whether it's still, that you still feel it. I hope you don't. But people were at some stage a bit derogatory about soaps. I don't mean he sent us, about soaps, weren't they?

Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, I think people are, I think people can be and I think there's a huge love for them as well. I think they're a bit marmite and that's fine. It's the same as people who go to the theatre and people who don't go to the theatre. People that really love watching,

feature films. I'd rather sit and watch a sitcom than go to the movies. People can't understand that. But we've all got different tastes. Favorite sitcom? That's really hard. You can't throw that on me. You can have three. Three. You can have three. I always hate it with your last favourite. Oh, it's so hard. Ab-Fab.

Okay. Only Fawson horses. Okay. The third's really hard. I don't know whether to go... So which ones are you thinking? I'll help you. Porridge. Yeah. Or... The British Empire was amazing.

So anything that Harriet thought was in, really? Yes. I have a bit of a fan. I was very excited to me. Huh? I just love sitcom. I absolutely adore it. Have you done it?

No. Would you? Yeah. Yeah, I'd love to. Love to, love to. It's a bit of a dying art. I was going to say, why, it's a real show. It's not going out still.

You know, not going out to probably, you know, the one. And Mrs. Brown's Boys is still a studio sitcom. But yeah, I think bring them all back. I think they're bringing it. I don't you write one? Maybe. Would you like to do it with me? No.

Okay, fine. But why don't you write one? Maybe. Maybe. I think you'd be, because you're, so your Instagram as well, which you know I'm a huge fan of. Oh, bless you. Did you like, yeah, I saw you yesterday reposted my Halloween mask. But it's true about the crisps, isn't it?

It's not a packet of crisps if there's six in the packet. So for people who haven't, see, everyone has to follow you. We'll do a collab with this because when we put. put it out because people have to follow you. Just explain your crisp gripe. Well, the gripe is, you buy a multi-pack of healthy crisps, and there's 65 calories a packet, and you think this is fantastic, because I love crisps,

I'm obsessed with crisps. And I thought, this is great. I'm going to sit down, open my crisps, and not feel guilty about it because they're 65 calories. There's six in the packet, Gabby. It's not a packet, is it? I was really angry about it. You were?

You know, you have to have three packets. it's at least. And then you couldn't get it in your mask. No. You couldn't eat them after all. So it was even less calories. That's one way not to worry about your calories. But your Instagram, you've just, then it's interesting when you did Joe Lice's show

and so many shows, people have got, you've got funny bones. Oh, bless you. No, you have. So I love the fact that sitcom is your favourite thing. Because you are naturally very funny. And it's as if Instagram has let you just do it. I think so. It's lovely, isn't it? I love the platform.

You know, I really do because I am just myself on it. And of course I think up these little things. But it's not that I'm sitting desperately trying to think, think of something to do on there. It will happen naturally. And I think, oh, no, I'll do this as a vid, you know. And yeah, people really enjoy it. And it's lovely to be known as Nat Cass.

And it's another little side of me rather than the acting and all of that. You know, and it gives me the freedom to do a bit of comedy, which I really enjoy. Okay, so let's talk about Sonia then. So Sonia's life has been extraordinary. Yeah. How much of Sonia's life do you know about before Sonia's life happens? Not much at all. Really?

Mm. Not much at all. And I quite like it. I quite like not knowing loads and loads. Because we don't know where. We don't know our own lives and then you're kind of, if I knew something really awful was going to happen, would I then play all the scenes where I'm there differently? You know what I mean? So let's go through all the different things.

I mean, how long we got? She's been through a lot. Obviously, everyone goes back to the trumpet. Always. It's back now with Reese. Oh, it's so sweet. How sweet is he? Is he like that in real life?

Please tell me here. No. No, no, he's not. He's not sweet. No, he's very sweet. But he's a little bit more confident. He's a lovely man. I'm really lucky with Johnny.

I feel very blessed. We get on really, really well. So for people who don't know, there's Sonia has a man in her life who is this sort of rather fumbly sweet musician. And it's utterly delightful because we need that because there's some really dark things going on. As we all know, moving towards Christmas, we know there is going to be somebody. is going to be, we presume, dead. And I know we are not allowed to talk about that. So I'm actually not looking at you when I mention it.

No, that's fine. I know absolutely nothing. I've heard none of you all know. Nothing at all. Is that really true? None of you know. Rommish you. I love that. Yeah, it's great. It's lovely.

I can't wait to watch it on Christmas Day as a viewer. That's so weird. It's lovely. It's great. It really is good. I don't want to know. No. I want to watch it.

It's exciting. That's so weird. That's why I couldn't look at you because I thought, Oh, if you give anything away. You're going to be really annoyed at me. Oh, yes. Chuck me out. I will be watching on Christmas Day.

Everyone knows that's it. On Christmas Day. Yeah. King's Speech. East End. Yeah, I've got to do all of it. It's lovely to have the light. And what's lovely, you need it.

What's really nice is I feel, you know, it's bringing out a bit of comedy for Sonia as well. It really is. Which is, you know, lovely for me. So the trumpet is back. Trumpet's back. We've had the childbirth, of course. Of course. We've had you with a female partner.

I've had two female partners. I married Martin. Excuse me. I was going to marry Jamie, who was the love of my life, Sonia and Jamie, played by a lovely Jack Ryder, who got run over by Martin, who I then married. Yes. Martin.

It's been a... James, I have the biggest, innocent, nice crush on. He's one of the most sweet, delightful guys. Very normal. Yeah, absolutely. Well, we're all normal really, aren't we? But it was a time. There was a time when, and again, not just EastEnders,

but there was a time, EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, I'm trying to mention them all so I don't, Holly Oaks. Brookside. Brookside. I don't want to mention. El Dorado. El Dorado. Keep going to.

All of them. But there was a time when every front page had the young stars of of the soaps in. And I remember interviewing the one I'm thinking of now, and I'm not going to mention their name. But it was endless, and they just couldn't cope. I feel that you've got to slightly... Am I right?

Is it slightly easier now? Very much so. Very much so. You've got to remember, when Jamie died on television, again, I can't remember the year exactly. I believe it was 2002. But when he died, I think 24 or 25 million people watch. that. Oh my word. And you know, we know

that Angie and Den back in 1985 got 33, 36 million or whatever it was. But you know, in the early 2000s there were still 24 million people watching that. As recently as that? As recently as that. You know, 20 years ago, what have you? So it was the fame and the recognition was so huge. But it was it. But that sort of never left me because obviously people have grown up with me. So when I'm out and about it is still quite busy in a sense. There's a lot of people that come up on track. You are very loved.

You're very loved. You really are. The character's very loved, but you are very loved. But it must have been an extraordinary time. I just, in various TV shows that we were doing and we'd look at the front pages for the live shows. And it was always the stars of soap operas. and I used to just, my heart used to bleed it.

It was just unfair. It was different then, wasn't it? Did you, but did you feel that then? Well, I didn't really have any of that, really. About falling out of clubs. Yeah. Have you ever fallen out of club? Have I fallen out?

Yeah. Have you? I don't think I've ever fallen out of a club. No. No. I don't know if I've fallen out or tripped. I've been pushed out. Who knows?

I don't think you've been. Nobody. Who would push you out of a club? To think about that now. All I want to do is be at home in my pyjamas. You're only 40. I know. I love a dinner.

Okay. Nice dinner. All right again. Favorite dinner. Come on. Oh, yeah, no, because every time you mention something because I love your answers. I'm not prepared. No, good.

Because your answers to everything are brilliant. Favorite dinner? Yeah, so you're watching, you're watching Abfab. Yeah. With your girls either side. How old are the girls now? No, they're not watching Abfab. Well, the big one is.

Yeah. 13. 13? Yeah, she can watch it. Yeah, I'll watch it. I was 11. Seven. Seven.

Right, okay. So, all right. Watch it strictly. Strictly. Yeah, I'm watching strictly. Yeah, okay. With Bobby. Oh, Bobby.

Isn't he brilliant? I think he's going to be in the final. He's like an angel. He's a superstar. When I met him. It's like an angel. He's like a Hollywood elevator. I thought I was going to cry.

I know. Because he's the most ethereal being. What a calm, beautiful soul. He's amazing. I said it the other day in an interview I did. What a lovely person for young men to look up to. Yes. I couldn't agree more.

What a lovely daddy he must have to be like that. Absolutely. Yeah, so we're watching, I'm there now. I'm there in your house. Yeah, okay. We're watching EastEnders. What are you cooking? You'd have to cook for me.

Cook for your family. I watch you cooking on Instagram. Lately, I've been really busy, and Mark's been cooking lovely stuff. It's so lovely to come home and be cooked for. So what does he cook? He's been doing it. He does a lovely carbonara.

He does a lovely carbonara, cabbing. He does a lovely chili concharnie. It's a lovely chicken curry. Why is it the way you say that just makes me laugh? I don't know. It's not funny looking. You've got a funny, no! You're beautiful looking.

You've got funny bones. You just write that sitcom. Write it about your family. All the things that you've done as well, it is extraordinary. Because when I was, again, like I said, I was doing my research, and I couldn't believe all the different things you've done.

Was it an easy decision about Big Brother as well? Was that an easy? It was a very easy decision because I had a tax bill to pay and I'm very honest about it. I really don't think you do those big shows unless you need the money. I mean, I think I'm a celebrity's a bit different because I think lots of people do win that and get lots of brand deals and, you know, I think it's brilliant.

Like Jackie did and you see Giovanna Fletcher. I think it's wonderful, you know. But Strickley is not like, you love strictly. Did you love it? I loved every second of it. I absolutely loved it. You looked like you were having a fantastic. fantastic time. And I was very lucky

because I wasn't working on anything else. I just immersed myself in the dancing. And all the glitz and the glamour and the maker. It was brilliant. Do you still do it now? Lovely team of people. No. But I do love a boogie in the kitchen. Do you love a dance.

You're having a carbunara. You're watching strictly. But then you've also got this extraordinary working week. And I think, you know, we all take it for granted when we watch it. never missed an episode. How many time shall I say that?

But we take it for granted. But your work, it's pretty hectic. How do you learn, how does your work life week work? That makes sense? Yes. You have, it's all peaks and troughs. So yes, it can be a very, very manic week. So a manic week would be getting your calls on a Thursday evening

and you're in Monday for 8 hours, Tuesday for 10 hours, Wednesday for 6 hours, Thursday for 3 hours, Thursday for 3rd, 12 hours and you're right through to Saturday. So it is very, very busy. When do you learn your lines? I read them and I continuously have them with me. So have you got some now? They're continuously with me.

Is that a real script? You're not looking at it. You're not allowed. Can I just see the front? Please can I hold it? No. Please do you'll just hold it. I won't look.

If I have my eyes. I'll get really told off. No, if I close my eyes, look. Look. There's nothing on them. You can have a look. I'm going to, oh, okay. You can hold it.

You're not allowed to. No, look, there it's closed. Close. Right, this is a podcast that people can't see, although we do have video for digital. But I've got my eyes. I'm touching the back of a real...

I have an East Ender script in my hand. I love how excited you can have. Oh my God. You must have had one of those in your hands before now. I did when I did East Enders live, I was never allowed to see them. No, give it back. But, but I, so many years ago,

I don't know if I'm allowed to say, I'm going to say it. I came into a storyboard meeting. Did you? Yeah. Did you pitch anything for Sonia? No, but I remember who they were telling me about. So they were telling me in this meeting that there was a new family joining.

And we were doing EastEnders live. Yeah. And the new family were the Slaters. Fantastic. So I knew all about the Slaters before anybody else did. And I was told I wasn't allowed to tell anyone. No, of course. And I didn't.

I didn't. Well done you. No, I never did. But also, that's the weird thing. I've got an exclusive out of you. But the weird thing is I didn't want to look at the script. I wanted to touch it, but I didn't want to look at it because I don't want spoiler. No, absolutely.

Okay, so we're going back to your working week. So you get, so you have your script with you everywhere. Everywhere. So how, but how do you learn, line? I just keep reading and reading and reading and reading. No. So you must have a photographic memory. I don't because it takes me forever.

There are people at work with photographic. memories. Can you name them? I've seen people come in. Now, I won't name them in case they don't want to be named. Oh, okay. I've seen people come in. I'd be impressed.

They say, oh yeah, what are we doing? And I go, sorry? Have you not looked at the scene we're doing? They go, no, not yet. I said, you've got loads. You've got loads. Yeah, you've got loads. I know, I'm going to have a look now in makeup.

And I'm like, I have a heart attack. I would be having pulpitations and I'd be on the floor. How did they do that? They can look at it, read it and read it a few times in the morning before going on, and they know it. And then when you act opposite that person, do you... Oh, wow. I have to work on it and I always have for ages and ages and ages. Do you do it with you run lines with your whole?

My other half? Yeah, with the girls. Well, he's a cameraman and he... Yeah. He's freelance, so he works on loads of different things. Does he do we standers? He does. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, still now. I know that's how you met. He still does it. Oh, good. He still does it, yeah. So he does run lines. He does, not?

Yeah, every now and again. If I've got loads and loads, he'll have a, you know, have a little go with me. But I'll just do it, look, cover, right, check. Old school, you know, like being a kid at school. But I just read them and read them. I go to bed with them. I'll read them before going to bed. And you never say it out loud?

Not really. But then when I get to work, I'm very lucky with Johnny, especially, Sonia and Reese, the stuff we have a lot. We sit and we'll run it all, say, let's have 20 minutes. minutes later for tomorrow and what have you. So you don't have rehearsals? Well, you go on to set and you'll have a line run and then a block and then a rehearsal. Okay, so for people who don't know what those...

Yeah, of course. Line run means you just... Running all the lines together, you know, sat down like this, reading it, or not reading it, if you know it. You know, do a line run. And the block is, you know, so we're in the cafe, we're sat opposite each other, you're told which chair and then you leave on this line or you go around to have that person on that line, that's your block.

and then the cameras go onto it and then we'll do a rehearsal or two to make sure everything's ready and then we go for it. That's so fast. It is fast. It is fast. And you don't do it in order,

is that right as well? No, no. I mean, we can be really fortunate. Say we're in a set that, say we're in Dott's Kitchen. Sonia's Kitchen now. No. Do you love her.

I still call it Dots. It says Sonia's on it, but it's still dots. And if we're in the kitchen and over four episodes, there might be 10 scenes in there. and probably get all of those done in the one day in that kitchen. So you could be really elated and then you can... Heartbroken.

Heartbroken. Yeah. So do you have somebody... I'm just asking you, so people will be intrigued about this because they don't know. So do you have somebody telling you what's just happened so you know what mood you're meant to be in? No, I've got all of that in front of me. So there's nobody there. If I've done my homework.

No, obviously the director knows. And there's always a script editor around. If you say, oh, can I just go over this with you? So yeah, there are people that help you. Right, okay. But, you know, I'm on top of my work, so I should know exactly where I am. You're very hard working as well, aren't you? I'm very hard working, and I'd like to be as professional as I can,

and I'll pride myself on that. I think it's very, very important. And because I've learnt from people like Barbara and Wendy, you know, I was a little girl, and I'll watch them, and they told me off if I got things wrong. Or they, you know, and it was brilliant. So I feel, you know, very, I'm proud to always be on top. I'm always early.

I know everyone's name. I've done my homework. I love being professional as I can really. They'd be so proud. They're watching over you. Yeah, definitely. Especially lovely Barbara, because you ran as well. So you did the marriage.

Was it this year? Well, we did too. We did the one before COVID. Yeah. Lovely Scott. Lovely Scott. Who sends his love to you. I love Scott.

Scott Mitchell, of course, we're talking about Barbara Windsor. Really genuinely good man who, you know, very well. Yeah. And, uh... Yeah, so we run it there. You ran.

And then we, yeah, we did it this year. Yeah, that's what I meant. So you did that... And any more? No, I don't want to do another one. Why? It just hurts. Your feet?

My toenails came off. I'm still getting over it. I've still got black feet. What do you mean you got black feet? That toenails? I've still got bruises on my feet. What, from the marathon in April? I'm telling you.

You do something. I might have banged it on a door. Dropped a trumpet on it or something. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so, but you raised money for Alzheimer's research. And Scott is so, he's so amazing. It's a real spokesperson, as is Tanya, Franks as well, and all of the other people that run.

So you put, you do push yourselves. You push yourself, don't you? If I have some, yes, if I'm given an opportunity, that I think is worthwhile. I have to go at it 110% otherwise I just won't do it. What happened? Do you ever say no? Yeah, I'll say no to things now.

Oh, you do? Especially now I'm older. I think turning 40, you know, my kids are growing up and me and Mark are, you know, where we are. And I will say, no, I don't want to do that and not feel guilty about it. I say, no, that's not for me, thanks very much, but I'm not going to do that.

Rather than say yes and then dread something for ages. You've got an incredibly warm. wise head on young shoulders. You've always been like that. I think I've probably said that to your face before as well. But you really have. And that, does you think that comes from your parents, your family, your big brothers? Yeah.

Or maybe you're born with it. I mean, I remember everyone saying when I was four that I was an old soul. I used to go, oh, you're like an old woman. I'd be four and five dancing around to Max Miller and the carpenters. But loving adult, always being with adults, wanting to spend time. I used to go and stay at friends' houses. My friends would go to bed and I'd be up with a mum, chatting away. I've just always loved.

And I'm still the same now. I love everyone my age, but I adore older people. I adore going and talking to older people. You know, octogenarian is sitting and talking to them. And, you know, I lost my dad a couple of years ago now and he lived with me. And I desperately, you know, I loved coming home and having a cup of tea with him or having a game of scrabble with him. So, yeah, maybe that's my fix.

I love chatting away to old people. One of my favourite things. Why haven't you got your own podcast? Time, time and work and maybe one day. You should do a podcast where you're talking to old people about their life experience. Yeah, that's a very good idea. I know, a very good producer sitting behind you. Seriously, I think you should do it.

Yeah, it would be good. Because you have a wonderful way of looking at the world. Are your daughters like that? They're lovely and I'm trying to teach them, hopefully. Like that. Like times. Yeah, they are. They're just, yeah, they're lovely.

My little one, Joni, she's a character. How about Joanie? She's just funny. She's a little feral one. All her hair's in the way and she doesn't care. You know, she wants to play the piano and dance around. She's got the only Fools and Horses' Theatre soundtrack. And she's learnt it all.

And she goes, we've got some marvice, go, tell some bars. And she sings all the cockley. I love it to bit. She's brilliant. And Eliza loves her musical theatre But she's 13 It's that's, you know Teenage years now

Yeah It's hard But you've been one I've been one And we have to ever I think people always forget We do forget I don't think we pay enough respect

To old people And I don't think we pay enough respect To teenagers I agree with you Definitely Because we were teenagers once The mum was a long time Although I'm 33 every birthday

Well you look 30 No I'm 32 every birthday Oh happy birthday Yeah thank you very much I'm seven years younger than you. And there I was interviewing you 30 years ago. It's amazing. I don't know how that. I don't know.

There we are. I was three. I was three. Okay. So can we go back into a little bit more chat about EastEnders? Yeah. I want to go to trumpet world. How did the trumpet first come about?

And do you mind that everybody talks about the trumpet? So lovely John York, who was execpt producer, but at the time of the Jackson's coming in was a storyline. John York created Wellard and he created the trumpet He created what the trumpet But as if we're not the actual instrument But he created the story of Sonia playing the trumpet

And obviously it was awful And I couldn't do it They gave me lessons I did have a music teacher a couple But they wanted me to play it badly And it just stuck And I just think they found it funny Did you mind it at the time?

No No of course not And you don't mind that everybody discusses the trumpet? No, because it's part of Little Sonia. So it's just been really lovely. And I feel very...

I think it's, isn't it a lovely thing that that has stuck? Because it's become this sort of cult, iconic little thing that people remember of the 90s. Which is so lovely really. It's sort of part of the cultural landscape. Yes, it is. Part of the fabric.

You're very much at the backbone or spine or whatever you want to call it of... of so many people growing up, people your age who thought, oh, that could be me. People who were, you know, slightly older than you, just thinking she's phenomenal.

And then, like you say, the much older generation, just thinking, she could be my daughter. It's, you've played a very vital role. If you ever sit back and realize how important you've, I've suddenly gone really emotional. It's really odd. But how important you've been to people's lives,

that must be, that must fill your heart with, such pride and happiness. It does. It really does, but I still find it hard to believe. And I'd rather not think about those things. Scott and I actually did a run in Regents Park. This was going back to training days.

And we were running along. And there were a couple of people passing us, you know, and smiling. And he said, do you see that? And I said, what do you mean? And he said, you make people's day. And he said, that is very rare. He said, it's not off. He said, I used to have it with Barbara.

He said, but you really do light up people's day. And that was a lovely thing that stuck with me. But listen, all I want to do is make people happy, carry on doing what I'm doing. You know, I just feel very lucky, but also I am just doing a job that could end at any minute. And you've just got to be realistic as well, haven't you? Natalie Cassidy, you are magical.

You're very, very special and you light up everybody's day. Thank you. Thank you.