EastEnders star says 'I'm going to have to' as she drops I'm A Celebrity hint

An EastEnders icon has quipped that facing a "large tax bill" might force her hand to join I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Natalie Cassidy, known for her role as Sonia Fowler since 1993, opened up about her past financial woes during a hiatus from the soap in 2012. Struggling with money due to a hefty tax demand, she described her situation as "having a really bad time" financially.

In a bid to overcome her monetary troubles, she accepted a "life-changing" sum to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house. Speaking on her Life With Nat podcast, she confessed her eagerness to "get out again, quick as I can" after pocketing the payout.

Natalie, 41, joked that she would be tempted to head into the I'm A Celeb jungle should she also end up in financial difficulties. Natalie joked it would be another "huge tax bill" or something that would land her on the show. reports the Manchester Evening News.

Chatting with ex-campmate GK Barry on the Life With Nat podcast, the actress commented: "I did Big Brother, I've not done I'm a Celeb - yet. You've got to say yet haven't you? " and added, "It'll happen at some point; let's be honest. I'm going to have a large tax bill and I'm going to have to go in there and eat kangaroo b******."

Natalie Cassidy on This Morning (Image: ITV)

Reflecting on her time in the Big Brother house, Natalie believes she was a "calming influence" among the contestants, often playing the role of "peacemaker" particularly between Loose Women's Denise Welch and model Nicola McClean.

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Natalie reckons her early eviction from the show, after just 16 days, was due to being "boring" on screen. While not disclosing how much she earned for her stint on the programme, she admitted it cleared her tax bill, as reported by The Mirror.

She said: "I went in there, genuinely, for the money to get out again, quick as I can. I went in there, and I just cooked, cleaned, did the tasks, had a bit of a laugh, came home."

She commented further: "I was in for about... not long. It was brilliant. I got out early – I think because I was a bit boring."

In spite of revealing an openness towards joining I'm A Celeb in the past, Natalie has disclosed her reluctance towards participating in the popular ITV show. She elaborated: "People say 'will you do I'm a Celebrity' and I always say the same thing."

"If I was distraught and I had no money, yeah, I'd be straight in there. But I wouldn't want to be there. When people say 'this is an amazing experience', it's b*******."

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