As part of a new BBC initiative, former Eastenders actress Natalie Cassidy features in a series that follows her training as a carer.
Cassidy is best known for playing Sonia Fowler in Eastenders, a role she held for 32 years. She stepped away from the soap in April 2025 and is now returning to screens to host a documentary about her experience training as a carer.
Image credit: BBC / Big Mountain Productions / Darren Kidd / Presseye
The series, Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together, aired it’s first episode yesterday (25 May) as part of the BBC’s new scheme ‘Caring Matters’. The initiative runs from 23-30 May and aims to ‘shine a light on the experiences of unpaid carers’.
Within the documentary, Cassidy returns to the classroom to study for a Level 3 BTEC in health and social care, her first time in education since leaving school at 16. The year-long course spans topics such as dementia, autism and first aid, alongside placements in a childhood diabetes unit and a care home.
While Sonia’s role in Eastenders was a nurse (primarily focusing on geriatric care), Cassidy said caring for her father inspired her to take this step. She told the BBC: ‘Caring for Dad right up until the end of his life, and losing him, was one of the most painful things I’ve ever had to do. But the people I met changed my life and are so inspirational. That’s what spurred me on to do this.’
News of the series comes as workforce shortages continue to plague the health and social care sector. Figures from Forward Carers shows there’s an estimated 111,000 unfilled jobs, representing a vacancy rate of 7%.
Similarly, the latest Census data shows there were around 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK. Of these, almost a third said they provided 50 or more hours or care per week.
This week, as part of Caring Matters, episodes of Bargain Hunt, The One Show, Saturday Kitchen and broadcasts across BBC radio will spotlight the role of carers.
Eastenders is also set to feature a storyline in which Will Mitchell, an 18-year-old student, attempts to balance caring for his sister Janet while supporting his family at home.
Kate Phillips, chief content officer for the BBC, said: ‘Carers provide such a vital contribution to society and that’s why we are dedicating a week of special programming on the BBC to help support the caring community.
‘With millions of people across the UK providing unpaid care, we will equip audiences with valuable knowledge and tools to prepare them while encouraging a greater understanding of what’s involved which is more important than ever.’
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