EastEnders spoilers: Whitney Dean and Sonia Fowler share set secrets

Whitney Dean aka Shona McGarty
(Image credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

Whitney Dean and Sonia Fowler aka actors Shona McGarty and Natalie Cassidy talk child acting and trumpets in the latest episode of Secrets!

In the first of THREE shows this week, Stacey Dooley talks to Whitney Dean and Natalie Cassidy, aka actors Shona McGarty and Natalie Cassidy in EastEnders: Secrets From The Square on Tuesday (7.30 pm, see our TV Guide for full listings).

This week fans will be treated to three episodes of Secrets as the Albert Square residents gear up to return to our screens from next week.

Shona McGarty plays Whitney Dean in EastEnders

Shona McGarty talks to Stacey Dooley about what it was like to be a child star (Image credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

Stacey Dooley’s first chat is with EastEnders favourites Shona McGarty and Natalie Cassidy, who play Whitney Dean and Sonia Fowler. The ladies both started on the show when they were kids and they talk about growing up on set. Shona and Natalie also share how some of the older cast members helped them settle into Albert Square with invaluable tips.

Shona reveals that when she was filming Whitney’s first scenes on the streets of Borehamwood where EastEnders is filmed, she was spotted by her best mates. Meanwhile, Natalie remembers what she was told by actor Steve McFadden - the Square’s Phil Mitchell - when she told him she was leaving the soap in 2007.

There’s a treat for fans as Shona and Natalie take Stacey through some of their most memorable scenes and Natalie dusts off Sonia’s famous trumpet!

Natalie Cassidy and Stacey Dooley

Natalie Cassidy shows Stacey Dooley around the Dot Branning set (Image credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

Stacey also gets a tour of Dot Branning’s house and Natalie reveals how actress June Brown put her own stamp on the place.

While EastEnders takes a break, fans will get their Walford fix with this entertainment series replacing the regular episodes. EastEnders returns with brand new episodes on Monday 7 September.

EastEnders replacement programming continues on BBC1 on Thursday at 7.30 pm.

Rachel Lucas
Forward Planning Deputy Manager

Rachel is a soaps and TV writer for WhatToWatch.com, soaps podcaster and resident soap expert for UK TV listings magazines What's On TV and TV Times. After graduating with an art and design degree from Birmingham City University, she found her true calling in all things soap and has been writing about them for magazines and websites for over 20 years. A self-confessed soap addict, she's always had a great love of all the UK and Aussie soaps and owns everything from a Neighbours 1990 Annual to a DVD box set of classic Corrie episodes to prove it.