Former EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy, best known for playing Sonia Fowler, is embarking on a heartfelt new career path — and fans can’t wait. After stepping away from Albert Square following 32 years on the soap, Natalie has shared exciting news about her next project: a BBC Daytime documentary titled Natalie Cassidy Learning to Care, which will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

A Passion Project Born of Personal Experience 🌟

Natalie has always been close to caregiving, drawing inspiration from her own life: from watching her mum care for her grandmother, to caring for her father, to parenting her two daughters. She’s now turning that real‑life passion into a 12‑episode documentary series where she’ll train at a top UK Health & Social Care college, work alongside professionals, and provide hands‑on support in community settings bbc.co.uk+15pressparty.com+15thesun.co.uk+15.

What the Series Will Show

Audiences will see Natalie tackling every aspect of care work: classroom studies, workplace simulations, and field experience. She aims not only to become a qualified carer — passing her final exam — but also to spotlight the vital, often under‑recognized role carers play in society thesun.co.uk+2thesun.co.uk+2televisual.com+2.

In her words:

“Caring has always been a huge part of my life… this series is close to my heart and I can’t wait for you to see it” thesun.co.uk+3pressparty.com+3thesun.co.uk+3.

From Sonia Fowler to Student‑Carer

Natalie’s departure from EastEnders was bittersweet. She filmed her final scenes during the soap’s 40th‑anniversary event in February, after announcing her exit at the end of January en.wikipedia.org+6bbc.com+6thesun.co.uk+6. She described the decision as both “extremely sad” and “exciting.”

Her new documentary marks a significant pivot, offering audiences a completely different side of Natalie — one driven by empathy, curiosity, and real-world impact .

BBC Daytime Praises the Initiative

BBC Daytime’s commissioning team, including Muslim Alim, has applauded Natalie for her “authenticity” and passion for the subject. The goal is to learn alongside the next generation of carers and draw attention to questions we all face: “Who will care for our parents, our children… and who will care for us?” thesun.co.uk+5thesun.co.uk+5televisual.com+5.

A New Era Beyond Walford

Though her joint podcast “Off the Telly” with Joanna Page was recently axed after a successful run, Natalie remains active with her solo podcast “Life With Nat”, plus presenting Channel 4’s consumer show What’s The Big Deal? and appearing on The Masked Singer earlier this year as “Bush” en.wikipedia.org+9thesun.co.uk+9thesun.co.uk+9.

What This Means for Viewers

• Insightful and emotional: Viewers will witness Natalie’s journey from trainee to qualified carer — complete with challenges, breakthroughs, and moments of raw emotion.

• Educational: The series will expose the realities of the caregiving profession and the immense value carers bring to individuals and families.

• Inspirational: It’s not just a journey for Natalie — it’s a tribute to all carers, and a call to raise awareness and appreciation.

Final Thoughts

Natalie Cassidy’s future is looking brighter than ever. She’s left behind the familiar world of Walford to embrace an inspiring new journey — one that blends her personal history with a desire to make a real difference. Fans will no doubt tune in to support her as she steps into this new role — a journey of learning, growth, and compassion.