NO ONE can accuse this soap legend and hun queen of not keeping it real. In a frank and funny chat with Metro, EastEnders icon Natalie Cassidy, 41, talks about the family and friends who make sure her feet are firmly on the ground, overcoming loss and what the chances are of her appearing on I'm A Celeb…Have you always been able to keep your feet on the ground? You grew up from such a young age in the public eye... Yeah, I have. I would put it down to a very normal working-class upbringing. You know, my dad was a newsagent, and my mum was a housewife. I had a lovely childhood. I've got two older brothers and a family around me that keep me grounded. Siblings, nieces, nephews - they all do it. And daughters now [Eliza, 13, and Joanie, seven] who like to tell me, 'It's really boring what you do, Mummy' [laughs].What is the most meaningful life lesson you've learned over the years?One of my favourite sayings is: what other people think of you is none of your business. You need to keep in your lane, do what you think is right, and don't be jealous of other www.people.Be grateful for who you are, and what you've got. If you can get up in the morning and be kind to people and stay true to yourself, that's all you can do. That's what I try to do.And what about the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?The biggest thing for me is the loss of my parents. I lost my mum [Evelyn, following a battle with cancer] when I was 19, and I lost my dad [Charles] a few years ago. I try to remain - to get through grief and turn that into a positive, and remember great things about them, and to know that you've done your best, that's a big life lesson for me.I'm 38 and currently living at home with my folks, who are in their 70s, and you just start to see mortality slowly but surely creeping in...My dad lived with me. He moved in with me in the last six years of his life. I was very, very close to my dad after losing my mum, and then I had him stay with me. So, I understand fully where you are, but they're young, don't worry about it, don't panic too much. It's a gift. Listen, I did everything for my dad, and I have no regrets. I just miss him, which is very special.You recently celebrated your 41st birthday - belated congratulations. How do you feel about getting older?I don't really think about it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I'm happy, in terms of how confident I am in myself, and the friends and family I've got around me. I split my time very well now. I can count my best friends on one hand. I know what I want to do, and I say no to things if I want to say no to them. I've probably become a bit more intolerant of things that I don't like as I get older. You become braver as a person the more life you've experienced. I just want to try and carry on doing what I'm doing.How much of a kick do you still get from playing Sonia Fowler in EastEnders? I absolutely adore it. I've been doing it for over 30 years. It's my comfort really. It is somewhere I go and feel at home. I'm honoured to still have the part and that Sonia is growing older, like me. It's just a great place to work.Have any behind-the-scenes moments really stayed with you?I'd say when Prince Charles and Camilla visited us for the [Queen's platinum] jubilee episodes. They were fantastic, and obviously they weren't king and queen at the time. That was a wonderful day, to meet them and have them there. We were all dressed up for the jubilee, and it was snowing for a while. So, that's something to remember, when you're in your nurse's outfit and it's freezing cold!Which EastEnders legend would you like to see return to the show?Oh gosh! To be honest, I would say Pam St Clement, [who played] Pat Butcher. She died in the show [in 2012] but I think if you had Pat turn up with the earrings and knock on the door, it'd light the place up!What other acting ambitions do you have? Is there a dream role in mind? I can see myself in a gritty drama. I've been watching Slow Horses and The Gentlemen, and I watch those and think, I could be an East End gangster, that'd be good. Or even to play someone downstairs in a house in Victorian times, being a cook who's cheeky. I also love comedy… I suppose I've never had the time to explore it, but yeah, I'd love to do some kind of sitcom. That's my dream.You also host podcast OffThe Telly with Joanna Page. What are your TV turn-ons and offs?Turn-ons would be any cooking programme. I know people think that's dull but for me, comfort watching isMasterChef, or a little bit of Jamie Oliver. And turn-offs? I am not one for true crime… or the afternoon-y Homes Under The Hammer. I'm also not a massive fan of medical dramas, but only because when I watch them, I go, 'I don't know how you're learning those lines, all those medical terms.'Last year your name was being bandied about for I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Would you ever be tempted? Sometimes I think, oh, that would be fun. And then a bluebottle will fly into my bedroom and I'm screaming. I think, what are you talking about, you're never going to do it. I always say I'd be the first celeb to die on live TV [laughs]. As much as it's a fantastic show, and never say never, if I needed to do it, I might have to, however I would make a real fool of myself… funny is one thing, desperately, uncontrollably scared is another!Now this is something I'm actively trying to manifest… there is talk of there being a celeb spin-offof The Traitors UK, and I think you'd be great!I would love that. Sign me up. I'd be a Traitor. It's more fun, isn't it? But yeah, I'd be up for it tomorrow, in a heartbeat.How do you like to unwind?With [partner] Marc, and a gin and tonic. Get the kids to bed, and play our records. We've got an eclectic range of music. For my birthday, Marc bought me a rare collection of Oasis B-sides.Do you have any other hobbies?Going into London on my own and wandering around art galleries.What is your most annoying habit?I snore - I sound like Darth Vader when I go to sleep, which isn't great. I do bite my nails, but usually pop on an acrylic to stop that habit. And I say 'umm' a lot.What is your pet peeve?Rudeness and lateness. People being rude for no reason and being late is not acceptable… being short, sharp, no eye contact, not saying hello properly. I know we're all heads down on our phones, but let's bring our heads up and chat to people. Let's have a bit of social contact. I think it's important.Can you share with me an unpopular opinion?For somebody who has been in EastEnders for 30 years… I'm not really a fan of pie and mash!That could be a career-destroying admission![Laughs] I just don't like pies and I'm not a fan of mash, so putting the two together - I'm not saying I wouldn't eat it, but it just doesn't excite me.Have you ever had an awkward showbiz run-in?I was at a soap awards, and I had a corset dress - in my bigger days - and I had it too tight, and I thought I was going to faint. At one point a director of mine, who is still a dear friend, had to undo it for me, and whilst that was happening, Jerry Springer was knocking about, which was quite embarrassing.EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One