Sonia Fowler
Sonia Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on and she departed on She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson develop breast cancer. Cassidy took maternity leave in 2016 and Sonia left on 20 September 2016 for her dream job in Kettering. Cassidy made two guest stints during her maternity leave, on 25 December 2016 via webcam and for a three episode arc from 14 to 18 April 2017. She returned full-time on 27 June 2017. On 29 December 2020, it was announced that Cassidy would take an extended break from the show, with Sonia set to leave the Square to return in spring 2021. She departed on 8 January and returned on 16 April. In 2024, Cassidy took another break from the serial, with Sonia departing on 22 August 2024 and returning on 13 January 2025. The same month, on 30 January, it was announced that Cassidy had quit the role once again; she departed on 17 April of the same year.
Sonia has been featured in storylines including affairs, feuds, bereavements, family problems, teenage pregnancy and a cancer scare. In 2000, Sonia discovers that she is pregnant at 15 and gives birth to a daughter, Bex Fowler, whom she puts up for adoption. She begins a relationship with Jamie Mitchell who is later killed on Christmas Day 2002. Sonia is better known for her problematic marriage with Bex’s father Martin Fowler, which ends in 2006 when Sonia begins an affair with Naomi Julien. The pair eventually reconcile for Bex; however, Sonia develops a feud with Martin's mother, Pauline Fowler, which ends when Pauline is murdered. Sonia is originally arrested for her murder, but it transpires that Pauline's husband, Joe Macer, is her killer.
Since her return in 2014, Sonia's storyline has included divorcing Martin, coming out as bisexual, a cancer scare, an on-off feud with Martin’s wife Stacey Slater, relationships with Tina Carter and Bex's teacher Gethin Pryce, supporting Bex through her attempted suicide, briefly reconciling with Martin and stealing money from Dot Cotton to help pay off Martin's hit-and-run victim who had been blackmailing her. In 2021, Sonia is led to believe that she has reunited with her father Terry, whom she never knew. However, this is revealed to be a lie as the man posing as her father is actually Tom "Rocky" Cotton intending to scam her. Sonia later enters into a relationship with Dot's great-nephew Reiss Colwell who she discovers is married, but they decide to try for a baby via IVF. Later, Sonia is wrongly charged with the murder of Reiss' comatose wife, Debbie Colwell but she is unaware that the culprit is actually Reiss. This, combined with Martin's death during the 40th anniversary and finally meeting her real father, Terry Cant, results in her second departure from the show, choosing to go travelling with Bianca and Bex.
Creation
1994 was a "historic" year for EastEnders, as in April, a third weekly episode was introduced. Due to the programme's increased frequency, a number of new characters were introduced to the regular cast in the latter part of 1993 and early 1994. Among them were the Jackson family: mother Carol, her four children, Bianca, Robbie, Sonia, and Billie, as well as Carol's partner Alan Jackson. Though Carol and Alan were not initially married in the serial, and though Alan was only the biological father of Billie, the whole family took on Alan's surname. The family was created by writer Tony McHale.Various members of the family began to appear sporadically from November 1993 onwards, but in episodes that aired early in 1994, the Jacksons moved from Walford Towers, a block of flats, to the soap's focal setting of Albert Square. Their slow introduction was a deliberate attempt by the programme makers to introduce the whole family over a long period. The Jacksons have been described by EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake as a "classic problem family".
Cassidy was 10 years old when she joined the soap as Sonia. She was spotted doing improvisations at the Anna Scher Theatre School by Tony McHale and EastEnders' Casting Advisor Jane Deitch. They liked Cassidy and she was asked to audition at Elstree studios, after which she was offered the part. None of the actors cast as the Jackson family were matched for appearance or screen compatibility. Cassidy commented, "it was all decided without doing that. I don't think it particularly mattered that none of us Jackson kids looked like each other because all our characters had different dads!"
Development
Early on in the character's narrative, Sonia was given a trumpet to play, which she did badly, infuriating her family and neighbours. According to Cassidy, this was on the behest of Storyliner and future Executive Producer of EastEnders, John Yorke. Cassidy revealed that she took lessons to play the trumpet, but that when she began to play well, she was asked by the producers to pretend to play it badly as Sonia was supposed to be playing it badly. Other storylines included a period where Sonia was bullied by her friend Clare Bates after she fell in with the wrong crowd at school. Despite the bullying storyline, Cassidy said that she and Bissix were good friends during their time together on the soap.In 1997, the actress who played Sonia's mother Carol decided to quit EastEnders. It was at this stage that the producers made a decision to write the majority of the Jackson family out. Cassidy commented, "I thought I was out of a job forever!". Cassidy made several temporary returns on-screen months later to visit Clare or Bianca, but she was still uncertain about the future of her character: "I didn't come back to the show for about four months or so after . And after Clare left the Square I was gone for another eight months. I just got on with school and all that". However, later in 1998 the producers asked Cassidy to return to the serial full-time, which she said she was "thrilled" about.
Departure (2007)
In April 2006, it was announced that Cassidy would take a break from EastEnders, saying "it's time to try new things. But it doesn't mean Sonia won't be back". A BBC spokesperson added, "Natalie is a valued member of the EastEnders cast and we wish her all the very best during her break from the show". Sonia departed on screen in February 2007, along with her former husband, Martin Fowler, as his actor, James Alexandrou, also left the serial. Their departing storyline was the culmination of the death of Pauline Fowler, following actress Wendy Richard's high-profile resignation from the serial in 2006. In the storyline, Pauline dies in suspicious circumstances and Sonia is blamed for killing her, although Sonia is eventually vindicated when Pauline's husband Joe Macer admits to manslaughter. Sonia and Martin and their daughter Rebecca leave Walford as a united family for the United States. In 2010, Cassidy said one of the reasons she decided to leave the show was because of Sonia's affair with Naomi Julien, saying it was wrong for the character.Despite Cassidy's departure being specified as a "break", Cassidy commented in 2008, "I feel that door's closed now and I need to go and do other stuff Maybe in nine years I might go back." More recently, in 2009, press reports suggested that the actress was keen to reprise the role. Patsy Palmer, who returned to EastEnders as Sonia's sister Bianca, publicly called for the actress's return: "I would love her to come back. I mean, she is family! I've told bosses that it's a good time, when you think about it, as the Jacksons are back now as well."
Guest stints (2010–2011)
On 25 October 2009 it was announced that Cassidy would return to the soap to reprise her role as Sonia, along with Coulson, Gaffney and Anderson. The characters would reunite with Bianca who returned in 2008. Cassidy is quoted as saying "To be invited back to EastEnders is such an honour and I am very, very excited that Sonia is coming back. For me, to be reunited with the original Jacksons is a dream come true and I think it will be a fantastic storyline." A source told entertainment website Digital Spy: "Everything's being kept hush-hush about the Jacksons' return at the moment, but there are certainly a load of questions to be answered. Will the frosty relationship between Carol and Bianca thaw? Are Sonia and Martin still together? And how will Robbie react when he learns of his beloved Wellard's death? Everyone's so pleased to have them back." The family returned for Bianca's second wedding to Ricky Butcher as part of the show's 25th anniversary. Executive producer Diederick Santer explained that he wanted great stories to get people talking, saying "The wedding is the perfect opportunity for us to bring back the much-loved Jackson characters – Carol, Sonia, Robbie and Billie." In December 2010, it was announced Cassidy would return to EastEnders, as Sonia in order to facilitate a temporary storyline departure for co-star Palmer, who was due to take maternity leave. Sonia's one-off return was broadcast on 21 January 2011.Reintroduction (2014)
Sonia returned permanently on 14 January 2014.In February 2016, Cassidy announced she was expecting her second child, meaning she would be taking maternity leave. Cassidy confirmed the baby is due in "summer" 2016. It was expected that Cassidy would leave in spring 2016, with Sonia departing on-screen in summer 2016. Sonia departed on-screen on 20 September 2016. After returning for a short stint from 14 April 2017 to 18 April 2017, Cassidy returned to the role of Sonia permanently, with the return being broadcast on 27 June 2017.