Former EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has spoken of her fears for teenagers growing up in an age where every moment is documented on social media. The 42-year-old, who played Sonia Fowler on the soap for over three decades, said the constant recording of events is 'unfair' on young people.
Cassidy, who has two daughters, Eliza, 16, and Joanie, 9, recalled her own youth when a night out would go undocumented. 'When I was young, I'd go down the canal, drink a bottle of white lightning beer - it didn't go any further. We had no photos. It's a scary world now, literally everything is documented,' she said.
The actress, who left EastEnders in February, described the pressure on teens today. 'If you go to a party now, it's unfair on the young people. If someone's boob pops out, at school the next day, it goes all round. I worry for Eliza - for our teens, now,' she added.
Cassidy also revealed her ambition to try stand-up comedy, saying she would love to perform five minutes at a pub. Speaking to comic Rebecca Maree, she said the idea 'terrifies' her but she finds it fascinating. 'I'd shi** my pants. But I'd love to do five minutes in a pub. I would. My style would probably very anecdotal - probably funny stories about my kids,' she said.
Reflecting on her EastEnders career, Cassidy named Sonia's teenage pregnancy as her most iconic storyline. She also paid tribute to late co-stars June Brown, Peggy Mitchell and Wendy Richard, saying she was 'honoured' to have worked with them.
