EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy has opened up about her decision to quit the BBC soap.

The actor, who has played Sonia Fowler on on-and-off since 1993, shocked fans earlier this week when she announced she’ll be leaving the role “after another 11 solid years back on The Square”.

Cassidy has now explained the reason behind her decision, telling The Sun that it’s “time to be brave” and move on to pastures new.

“I’m 42 this year, I just feel like it’s time to be brave,” she said. “You don’t want to get to 70 and think, ‘I never tried that’.

“I’ve loved this programme with all my heart. I started at ten, it’s in my bones, it’s in my heart.”

Cassidy made the decision to quit the soap last summer, after a “wonderful chat” with soap boss Chris Clenshaw.

“I’d been thinking about it for a little while,” she explained. “I had a wonderful chat with Chris back in the summer. It’s just exciting.”

Sonia’s current storyline has seen her serve time in prison for the death of Debbie Colwell, the wife of her fiancé Reiss. Reiss is the one who actually murdered Debbie, and forced Bianca Jackson to confess to the crime to secure Sonia’s release.

However, Sonia is currently suspicious of Reiss and the truth is very close to coming out.

Clenshaw previously revealed that Sonia will take a “central role” in the soap’s 40th anniversary storylines later this month, so it’s likely the truth will unravel here.

“I’ve got to remember in my head that when, as an actress, you make a decision to leave a show like this, you can’t hypothesise or worry about what’s going to happen to your character,” said Cassidy.

“That is down to the boss and the storyliners as the fate of Sonia is in their hands. I’ve had to take a deep breath, and go, ‘I’ve made my decision, I’ve just got to let it play out’.”