Natalie Cassidy Reflects on Abusive Ex: Mother’s Death Led to Relationship

Natalie Cassidy has made a rare comment about her ex Adam Cottrell whom she had a volatile on-off relationship with for four years.

The EastEnders star, 42, shares her eldest daughter Eliza with Adam who pled guilty to assault and criminal damage for attacking Natalie in 2011.

Speaking to Bella magazine, the actress said: ‘The only good thing to come out of it was my elder daughter Eliza.’

Looking back, Natalie believes one of the reasons she got into the relationship was because she felt lonely after her mother Evelyn died.

‘Put simply, the relationship was wrong. I was lonely after my mum died and I didn’t always make the right decisions,’ she said.

In May 2011 Cottrell was charged with two offences of assault and two charges of criminal damage after a row turned physical.

He pleaded guilty and was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.

In one attack, he hit her with a slipper and smeared mascara over her and in the other, he ripped her clothes when he grabbed her.

Despite his violent nature, Natalie desperately tried to make the relationship work for the sake of their daughter Eliza.

Since 2014, Natalie has been in a relationship with cameraman Marc Humphreys who she shares daughter Joanie, nine, with.  

Speaking about their romance, she said: ‘We’re friends and we laugh all the time. When he’s off working, I miss him. We like being together. He’s made me find who I am, the real me.’

The couple got engaged in 2015 but are yet to tie the knot. However, Natalie insisted a wedding is still on the cards at some point.

‘It’ll happen sooner or later. Marc’s the one I want to grow old with,’ she said. 

Natalie recently revealed her regret at losing ‘four stone in three months’ for her gruelling workout DVD released 18 years ago. 

The actress took to the This Morning sofa to spill all about her new book, Happy Days, which follows the ‘highs and lows’ of her life on and off screen.

She revealed that the book not only details her life behind-the-scenes of the beloved BBC One soap, but it’s also packed with tips, lists and recipes from her life. 

It led Natalie to be quizzed by the ITV daytime show’s hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond on her lifestyle tricks that viewers can expect. 

Naturally, it prompted Natalie to talk about her workout DVDs, titled Then & Now Workout, which saw her lead viewers in a diet and exercise regime. 

Natalie was quick to hit out against the videos, admitting that even though she shed ‘four stone in three months’, it damaged how she felt about her body. 

She opened up to Alison, 50, and Dermot, 52: ‘I’ve sat here before and been very honest and said that I did do [the DVD] for money. 

‘They said you can get fit and get a load of money, what a good idea, but actually it wasn’t – it was one of the worst decisions I made. 

‘I lost four stone in three months, and the job ended, and I just ate and ate and ate and I put all the weight back on, and then that highlighted this yo-yo diet culture. 

‘I fell into that world, and I’m not blaming anyone because that was my choice, but what I’ve done with it, I now have a very healthy relationship with food.’

Explaining how she’d made changes in her relationship with food, Natalie continued: ‘I have two daughters, and I think it’s really important to have food at the heart of the home and for it to be a great thing and not a bad thing.’