EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy reveals real reason she was snubbed for Gavin and Stacey role

EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy recently revealed she auditioned for an iconic Gavin and Stacey role but sadly didn't get the part. 

The actress, 41, who is best known for playing the character Sonia Fowler in the BBC soap, admitted she auditioned for a role alongside James Corden, 46, more than 17 years ago. 

The star had hoped to bag the role of Rudi, the sister of James' character Smithy, but was snubbed in favour of Sheridan Smith, 43. 

She has since reminded James of her audition during a special episode of hers and  Joanna Page's, 47, joint podcast, Off The Telly. 

During the podcast, Natalia and Joanna spoke with Gavin and Stacey stars Adrian Scarborough, 56, and Robert Wilfort, 47. 

However, they were left in shock once Natalie revealed her link to the iconic British sitcom. 

Natalie asked the pair: 'Can I tell you a secret?' to which they agreed and she continued with: 'It's not about me, but I've got one tiny link to Gavin and Stacey.'

She then shockingly revealed: 'I auditioned for the part of Smithy's sister' and both guests audibly gasped as Adrian said: 'You could have been Rudi? Oh my gosh.'

Natalie confessed to previously telling Joanna her secret but hadn't 'said it out loud' to anyone else. 

She continued: 'I went up Oxford Street into Baby Cow, did my read with James and it didn't go to plan, unfortunately. But yeah.'

Once the women had bid farewell to Adrian and Robert, they were then joined on the podcast by James and the show's director, Christine Gernon. 

After saying hello to one another, Natalie was quick to remind James about her audition more than 17 years ago. 

She told him: 'I was only telling Adrian Scarborough earlier and Rob how I nearly got to play Rudi. Do you remember that, James?'

James replied: 'I know. You were there. You were the person we were thinking about. I remember chatting to you on the phone about it. You'd have been amazing.'

Vying for a future role with James, Natalie quipped: 'It's alright. Next sitcom, yeah?'

The critically acclaimed series follows the lives of titular characters Gavin from Essex and Stacey from South Wales, documenting key points in their long-distance relationship and events that bring the two families together.

Gavin and Stacey first aired on BBC Three in 2007 and spanned 20 episodes over the course of three series.

As well as James and Ruth, it turned Mathew Horne, 46, and Joanna into household names.

The 'last ever' instalment will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day this year after fans of the show begged for an end to the story.

It comes after James and Ruth revealed Gavin & Stacey fans will be treated to a lot more Smithy and Nessa in the final episode, musing that their characters' 'messy' relationship is the beating heart of the BBC show.

Appearing on the podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, the actors and writing partners teased the Christmas special, spilling that fans will find out a lot more about Ruth's character Nessa's past as well as her future with Smithy. 

'Nessa has had this unbelievable checkered life and you find out more about that in this special — some really fun bits that we wrote,' James explained.

He mused that the reason fans have taken Smithy and Nessa to their hearts is because 'on TV or films, you very rarely see people that look like Ruth and I fall in love.'

'You just don't. I'd be dropping off a TV to Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones and Ruth's like working on a newsstand when someone buys a newspaper.'

'What I like about the show is that it's so messy and complicated and they just clearly have fantastic sex. I really enjoy that confidence.'

Ruth added though that in the early days, the writer's partners were unsure how to pitch the unique relationship, explaining: 'The first time they had sex was in the very first episode and I think because we didn't quite know what the show was we were probably being quite sitcom about it.'

'We were there, just the two of us, on that road that had meant so much to us and I just, as Ruth, was looking at my dear friend James and when I said 'I loved you with all my heart' I was saying it to you [James],'  Ruth recalled.

Despite the pair now promising the upcoming special actually is the finale, there's been a flurry of fan speculation that there could be more to come.

James is adamant though that this is it, giving an ominous warning to viewers as he said: 'It can't carry on. When you'll see it, you'll know.'

Gavin and Stacey: The Finale will air on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.