Natalie CassidyNatalie CassidyAs you shed a tear at Sonia's departure in EastEnders, weep another one for the actress who plays her.

Because you might not be seeing Natalie Cassidy on the small screen for a little while.

The actress, who has played Sonia Jackson/ Fowler for a whopping 13 years, has told The Sun she's having a break from TV:

"I'm steering clear of telly for a while, as everyone knows me as Sonia."

Instead, Nat will be taking to the stage in a touring production of The Vagina Monologues.

But if the loss of Nat is too great, you can still catch her on UK Gold's EastEnders repeats.