NATALIE Cassidy has admitted she fractured her sternum after giving her all to an EastEnders childbirth scene.
The starred as Sonia Fowler in the BBC soap, and her character to daughter Julia as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations earlier this year.
Natalie Cassidy has revealed she fractured her sternum during the rehearsals for her EastEnders’ childbirth sceneCredit: BBC
She gave it her all in the scene, which was part of EastEnders LiveCredit: BBC
The scenes were broadcast live as part of EastEnders’ 40th anniversary celebrationsCredit: BBC
Natalie admitted the scary situation has made her even more concerned about her bone densityCredit: tiktok/@whatsmyageagain_pod
While the episode itself was live, it was during the rehearsal that ended up but she still managed to make it through and not go to the hospital until she was done.
Opening up on Katherine Ryan’s What’s My Age Again? podcast, recalled: “For EastEnders Live, it was an episode and I had to give birth. So there was a lot of nerves.
“And a couple of days before that, I went for it, really went for it, and my sternum popped out.
“And I carried on with the rehearsal, carried it all on, and I went to the hospital and I’d fractured my sternum.”
When the doctor was talking to her, he asked her if she’d “checked her bones”, and added: “That is mad – that’s like a car accident and you’ve done it to yourself.”
“You acted yourself a broken bone!” Katherine pointed out.
Natalie went on to say that she takes daily vitamins as she’s “a little bit worried” about her bone density.
“Or maybe you’re just a very good actress,” Katherine mused.
“You said to him, bone density? I was on EastEnders for 30 years.
“I know what I’m doing… I could break my sternum in a heartbeat!”
“Natalie Cassidy went all in during a live birth scene and popped her sternum – acting dedication at its finest!” a video of the podcast chat was captioned on TikTok.
“How does this not actually happen during labour though? ” one person questioned in the comments section.
“The only thing I can think of is when you’re actually doing it you know what parts to strain if that makes sense.”
“She managed to act like it hadn’t happened when it had (carried on the rehearsal as normal) – pretty impressive!” another said.
Sonia Fowler’s biggest EastEnders storylines
Sonia Fowler has featured in EastEnders since 1993, and after starring in thousands of episodes, has been featured in storylines ranging from teenage pregnancy to a cancer scare. Here are some of her biggest.
- Teen Pregnancy and Birth of Chloe Jackson (1999-2000)
Sonia discovered she was pregnant at the age of 15. Viewers were shocked by the sudden birth, as the teen went into labour without even realising she was pregnant. Martin Fowler turned out to be Chloe’s father. Sonia initially decided to give the girl up for adoption. - Death of her boyfriend (2002)
Sonia’s boyfriend, Jamie Mitchell, was hit by a car driven by her baby’s father. Jamie had just bought an engagement ring for his girlfriend before being struck down by the thoughtless Martin, who was texting while driving. Although the Jamie was rushed to hospital, docs said his liver was irreparably damaged, and he ended up dying with Sonia by his side. - Marriage to Martin Fowler and Family Tensions (2004-2007)
In a shock twist Sonia went on to marry the man responsible for her previous boyfriend’s death. Their relationship was marred by conflicts and infidelity, and they went on to split up after just three years. At one point in their marriage Sonia was taken hostage by Sarah Cairns, who became obsessed with Martin after he flirted with her during a drunken night out. The couple went through struggles again when the adoptive parents of their daughter were killed in a car crash, leaving them responsible for Rebecca. Because of the tension in their relationship Sonia ended up cheating on her husband with one of her co-workers, nurse Naomi Julien. - Custody Battle for Rebecca (2005-2007)
Baby Chloe, who was renamed Rebecca, was kidnapped by her mum early in life before being returned to her adoptive parents. After Neil and Sue Miller died they awarded Martin full custody of the child because of Sonia’s extra-marital affair. The mum was left distraught to be cut out of her daughter’s life. - Gastric Band Surgery and Weight Struggles (2014-2015)
Sonia became insecure about her weight and arranged to have a secret gastric band surgery in Bulgaria. She later collapsed at an exercise class after suffering complications from the operation. - Discovery of Bex’s Suicide Attempt (2019)
Sonia’s daughter Rebecca tried to take her own life in a heartbreaking storyline which left viewers in tears. She found Bex unconscious after taking an overdose, and was devastated. Sonia blamed herself for pushing her daughter to breaking point, as she had tried to force her into going to Oxford despite Bex saying she didn’t feel ready for university.
“Like how an opera singer shatters glass except with bones,” a third joked.
Natalie filmed her last scenes as Sonia in late 2024, and they aired in February this year.
Announcing her departure from EastEnders after 32 years on the programme, Natalie said: “EastEnders is in my bones so I will never forget where I started my career and I will continue to love the show.”
Podcast host Katherine Ryan couldn’t hide her shock as Natalie opened up about the incidentCredit: tiktok/@whatsmyageagain_pod 
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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