Natalie Cassidy has shared that even after her recent weight loss, she still struggles with body insecurities and calls herself ‘ugly.’
The actress, 41, who has played Sonia Fowler on the soap for 31 years, faced cruel bullying as a child over her size before slimming down six years ago, and in a new interview shared how she still ‘doesn’t have that confidence’ about her figure.
Natalie told The Sun that her relationship with food stemmed from her late mother, who she described as a ‘feeder’, and shared that bullies would call her ‘Fat Nat.’
Describing her insecurities, she said: ‘I can be somewhere and feel a million dollars and not even think about my weight.
‘But put me in another situation, with a different group of people, and I’ll feel like the ugliest person in the room. And that is me being 100 per cent honest.
Natalie Cassidy has shared that even after her recent weight loss , she still struggles with body insecurities and calls herself ‘ugly’ (left in 2022 and right in 2001)
The actress, who has played Sonia Fowler on the soap for 31 years, faced cruel bullying as a child over her size before slimming down six years ago
‘I don’t think I’ve ever — no matter what weight I’ve been — thought, ‘I look really good today’, standing naked in front of a mirror.’
Natalie, who is engaged to cameraman Marc Humphreys, also famously slimmed down while recording a weight loss DVD, Then & Now, in 2007, which she shared she still bitterly regrets, as she was ‘bordering on having an eating disorder’.
The star said she lost a total of four stone in three months, before regaining it all again ‘and more,’ despite being paid £100,000 for the project.
In recent years, Natalie said that while her weight has fluctuated, but now credits intermittant fasting as helping to maintain her healthy figure.
Natalie also shared that she is mindful about how she discusses her weight around her two daughters Eliza, 13, and Joanie, seven, as her eldest has already experienced some teasing at school.
It comes after Natalie was left red-faced during an episode of Loose Women as she made a confession about her personal hygiene.
She stunned Coleen Nolan, Kelle Bryan and Charlene White into silence when they misheard a statement she made.
Natalie appeared on the Daytime TV show as a guest panellist and at one point discussed opinions on a bidet.
Natalie told The Sun that her relationship with food stemmed from her late mother, who she described as a ‘feeder’, and shared that bullies would call her ‘Fat Nat’
Natalie also famously slimmed down while recording a weight loss DVD, Then & Now, in 2007, which she shared she still bitterly regrets, as she was ‘bordering on having an eating disorder’
The actress is engaged to TV cameraman Marc Humphreys, who she described as ‘really hot’
Natalie has played Sonia Fowler on EastEnders since 1993 (pictured on the BBC soap)
A bidet is a porcelain bowl often situated next to a toilet, designed to wash other regions.
The actress said: ‘I like a bidet, it reminds me of my family bathroom when I was little. Mum and dad’s bathroom, there was always a little bidet there.
‘I haven’t got a bidet now but I do sometimes – on a warm day when I haven’t got time for a shower – fill up the sink and have a flannel wash.’
But when discussing her views of the European feature, Natalie horrified the panel when they misheard the world ‘flannel’.
After quickly realising what Natalie really meant, Kelle, in stitches of laughter, said: ‘She said flannel wash’.
Charlene added: ‘Oh! Flannel wash! Few!’
Coleen joked: ‘Oh I wish you would have said the other one!’
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Natalie Cassidy reveals she's working with her idol Ricky Gervais after branding him a 'god'
Natalie shouted: ‘FLANNEL!’
After audience members and panellists gasped in shock before realising, it seems fans at home also heard the mistaken word behind screens.
It comes after Ricky Gervais delighted fans by teaming up with Natalie for his first show since his widely-popular comedy-drama After Life.
The comedian and actor, 63, is reportedly working on an animated series about cats, with Natalie lending her voice to the new project.
A TV insider told The Sun: ‘The project is still in its early stages, but Ricky is super excited as he’s always wanted to make a show about cats.
‘He’s a big animal lover, so mixing comedy and pets is an ideal combination. And with his star cast on board, it’s bound to be hilarious.’
According to the publication, a voice recording session took place in London last week and The Office star has signed an exclusive deal with Netflix.
Aside from the details of it being an animation that features animal characters, and revealing some cast members, Ricky is largely keeping the project under wraps.