EastEnders fans have already had weeks of disruption due to this year’s summer of sport, and now it has been confirmed it faces more schedule changes.
The soap has once again been bumped from its usual slot on BBC One this week, as the channel continues with its coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
It’s not all bad news, however, as the show will air at the usual time of 7.30pm from Monday to Thursday – just over on BBC Two.
This week’s episodes will also still be available each day from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
EastEnders previously moved around the schedule for the BBC’s coverage of the Euros and this year’s Wimbledon.
This week’s episodes will see Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) find herself pulled further and further into Reiss Colwell’s (Jonny Freeman) web of lies, after he murdered his wife Debbie.
The couple will face some tough questions as Debbie’s parents Hugh and Brenda Collins, played by Michael Bertenshaw and Nichola McAuliffe, arrive in Walford.
There’s also more drama ahead for the Panesar family, as Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan-Levy) finds herself kicked out of No. 41, as Vinny and Suki Panesar (Shiv Jalota and Balvinder Sopal) continue to plot against dying Nish (Navin Chowdhry).
Meanwhile, Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) sets his sights on Callum Highway (Tony Clay) following Ben Mitchell’s (Max Bowden) extradition to the US, but is the copper really ready to move on from his husband?
EastEnders icon to take ‘short break’ from BBC soap after being poached by Channel 4
Natalie Cassidy will temporarily exit EastEnders to film a new project where she will front a consumer based show for BBC rival Channel 4 testing out popular household goods
EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy is embarking on a new adventure as she takes a break from the hit soap.
The actress – best known for her role as the legendary Sonia Fowler – is temporarily exiting Albert Square so she can take on a new job after being poached by a rival channel. The BBC star will head over to Channel 4 for her new role where she will front a four-part series titled What’s The Big Deal?
The show will see Natalie looking into popular household products that have won over homes around the nation following the channel’s previous show focusing on air fryer’s. A source told The Sun of the project: “Natalie will be taking a short break, just like many of her co-stars do when they have another project. Bosses always try to let stars spread their wings and if they can make it work with the often punishing soap schedule then they’ll do it.
“Natalie’s really excited to tackle the project for Channel 4. This is another string to her bow.” Items that will feature on the show include teeth whiteners and ice baths as Natalie chats to industry experts and scientists to get the low down on the items as well as chatting to families who will try and test the products before giving their verdict.
Natalie is a fan favourite on EastEnders
The end of each episode will see Natalie join with the households as they all share their opinion on the goods and if they would recommend buying them or not. Natalie said: “I am looking forward to getting to ask questions we all want answers to, about must-have products. Like all of us, I love to try the latest things but as a busy mum what I really want to know is what lives up to the claims and what is the best deal?”
Natalie joined the cast of EastEnders in 1993 and has appeared in a number of British shows over the years. She has also spoken openly about health and fitness, even releasing a fitness DVD titled Natalie Cassidy’s Then and Now Workout back in 2007. A year later, she appeared in the documentary Natalie Cassidy’s Diet Secrets for BBC Three.
Since 2014, Cassidy has been in a relationship with cameraman Marc Humphreys. The couple shares a daughter named Joanie together, whom Natalie gave birth to in August 2016. She is also mum to Eliza, 13, who she shares with her ex-partner, Adam Cottrell. All four episodes of What’s The Big Deal? are scheduled to air on Channel 4’s sister network More4 in autumn.
