Long-time EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy has announced she is set to leave the BBC One soap in a shock move.

Her exit scenes are of course, going to run in line with the highly-anticipated 40th Anniversary celebrations.

This may sound exciting for some soap fans, but this long-time viewer is worried.

Many of us Walford loyalists know that something dramatic is bound to happen and most likely, one (or more) characters could be killed off.

But killing off Sonia Fowler, a meme-worthy character of three decades would not be the way to go.

Simply put, our Sonia is a mainstay, a constant, and an institution like the gold bust of Queen Victoria.

Killing Sonia would be like killing Tracy (Jane Slaughter), the heart of EastEnders, unnecessary and downright cruel.

She hasn’t always appeared constantly, but we know that she’s been there as part of the fabric of Albert Square.

Vile Reiss (Jonny Freeman) recently started a ‘Save Our Sonia’ campaign to try and prove her innocence when she was in prison.

I may hate that character with all my soul, but give me that petition and I’ll sign it quicker than you can say the world ‘surrogate’.

Now I cannot help but think that maybe the petition might just seep its way through the fourth wall as fans fight to save the beloved character.

What a dramatic life Sonia has had, from her pregnancy aged 15 to the death of her young boyfriend Jamie Mitchell in 2002.

We always remember her problematic marriage to Martin, only for it to end when she came out as bisexual after a relationship with Naomi Julien (Petra Letang).

Then of course she was arrested on suspicion of murdering her own former mother-in-law Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard).

Let’s not forget that apart from the Brannings, Sonia is one of the last remaining links we have to the legendary Dot Cotton (June Brown).

I also remember when Sonia stole money from her step-grandmother after she was blackmailed by Martin’s hit and run victim. Good times.

All this was mixed in with a penchant for playing a random instrument, the Trumpet.

Over the years she has infuriated residents all over Walford with her playing – like, of course she did!

From her distinct East End voice to her chaotic storylines, her antics on Albert Square have cemented Sonia as a camp icon.

Simply put, our Sonia is a mainstay, a constant, and an institution like the gold bust of Queen Victoria

I strongly urge bosses NOT to kill off this legendary soap figure-head.

Please do not deprive us of more iconic scenes yet to come, simply to get some short-term shock factor for the Anniversary.

A better idea would be to kill off a dislikable character like Reiss instead to give the audience the satisfaction we are craving with that storyline combined with an ‘event’ feel.

Then in a state of shock, Sonia needs to get out of Walford and she decides to go and live with her mother Carol.

This way, we have a potential opportunity for a return further down the line, rather than a death some have regretted like Ronnie and Roxy.

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