Sonia Fowler

Sonia Fowler (also Jackson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 2 December 1993 and she departed on 2 February 2007. She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from 8 to 18 February 2010 and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on 14 January 2014, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) 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 (Jasmine Armfield), whom she puts up for adoption. She begins a relationship with Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) who is later killed on Christmas Day 2002. Sonia is better known for her problematic marriage with Bex's father...