EastEnders’ Natalie Cassidy looks worlds away from Sonia as she shares rare photos with fiance and their kids

NATALIE Cassidy looked a far cry from her EastEnders character Sonia as she enjoyed family fun over the festive period.

The actress, 39, shared a series of snaps over Christmas showing her kissing her hunky partner Marc Humphries.

Looking very trim in all black, Natalie was lifted up in Marc’s arms before they posed with daughters Eliza and Joanie.

She told her followers it has been “a great Christmas day”, which was more than can be said for her onscreen persona.

Sonia was at the centre of the epic Carter’s Christmas dinner that saw Janine rumbled once and for all.

But things are looking up for her character after she met Dot’s great-nephew Reiss Colwell, portrayed by Jonny Freeman, and enjoyed a romantic couple of days with him.

She has also just inherited Dot’s house and bagged a new job at the surgery, which is set to make her work life much easier.

Speaking about how life is going to get better, Natalie recently said of her character: "Let's be honest, Sonia's been a bit miserable, not only miserable but she had a lot going on.

"You've got to remember she's a nurse, she works really hard, she's got Dotty on her case all the time, Dot's not been around.

"I feel saying goodbye to Dot and having this shining beacon of light [in Reiss] come in, I feel like it's going to be a really exciting time [for Sonia].

"I can't give too much away but with the stuff I've been doing lately, I really feel you're seeing the comedic side of Sonia come back and the light.

"And I really am enjoying that because I haven't done it in a while and it feels really special."