Natalie Cassidy has been involved in her fair share of big storylines during her years in EastEnders, and has a good few “doof doofs” under her belt.

But the actress, 38, has also been busy creating a full life for herself off screen.

Natalie's character Sonia Fowler moved into Walford in 1993 when she was just 10 and has appeared on and off in the BBC soap since then.

Sonia is known for her problematic marriage with Martin Fowler, but in her own life the star has been happily settled with cameraman Marc Humphreys for seven years.

The pair started dating in 2014 and the following year they confirmed they were engaged. They haven't tied the knot yet but every now and then Natalie gives fans a peek at their happy home life.

The star previously shared how happy she was to have found Marc.

Calling them “soulmates” in a sweet Instagram post last year, she wrote: “It doesn’t really matter what’s going on as long as we have each other.”

Natalie was already mum to daughter Eliza, 10, with her former boyfriend Adam Cottrell, and in 2016 she and Marc welcomed a baby girl they named Joanie.

Last year she posted a long message on Instagram saying that while she wasn’t the perfect mum, she felt like she was doing a good job of raising her girls.

“One thing I do love and feel I’ve cracked, is being a mum,” the TV star told her 160,000 followers.

“I’m not saying I’m perfect at it, nobody is.

"But I love my kids so much. I miss them when I’m not with them. I love getting home with them after school and cooking their dinner and doing homework and baths.

"Yes I moan at them and shout sometimes. Yes they drive me mad at times.

"But we play games. We put music on and dance round the kitchen. We laugh together. I have a responsibility to raise these two humans to the best of my ability. So far, they are polite. They are kind. And they eat vegetables and love @eltonjohn and @bbcradio2. What more can I do?”

Sadly, the actress has also known heartache in recent times.

She was devastated when her beloved dad Charles died earlier this year at the age of 84, saying he had been her world.

Sharing a poignant photo of the pair in May, she told fans: “I lost my precious daddy three weeks ago today. I wasn’t really going to do this post, but I felt I can’t come on here and be a knob without letting everyone know that my life has changed. He was my whole world and I’m not sure what I’m going to do without him.”

Natalie said she knew family and friends – and her work – would make things easier.

“I cannot believe how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life,” she said.

“It really is at these times you realise how important relationships are and company and friendship and love is so important. Losing anyone is hard. The NEVER seeing someone again is cruel. But it’s part of life. And we go on and have our memories. Charles William Cassidy 1937-2021. The best dad and grandad in the world. We miss you so much but we have each other because of you.”

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