EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy says 'I was honoured to be asked' as she opens up on new move

EastEnder, podcaster, Strictly star, Loose Woman and now – perhaps – star baker? Natalie Cassidy has said she is "honoured" to be taking part in The Great British Bake Off’s festive special The Great Christmas Bake Off. Natalie will be taking part in the show, together with her on-screen brother Dean Gaffney – best known as Walford bad boy Robbie Fowler.

Natalie says: “'Bake Off is such an institution. I was honoured to be asked. I’m a big fan of Christmas so I loved every minute of it!”

This year’s crop of celebrities – which alongside Natalie and Dean includes Corrie’s Shobna Gulati and Sheree Murphy from Emmerdale – will be asked put their own spin on the traditional yule log. The show’s technical challenge will see them craft delicate Christmas trees using meringue.

But the most hilarious moments are likely to come from a unique task in which the soap stars will compete to represent their most iconic storylines in biscuit form.

There’s much speculation about which classic stories will be revisited, with a show source telling the Mirror: "Will Wellard [Robbie's much-loved dog] make an appearance?

"Could Sonia's trumpet pop up? Perhaps we'll see see rum 'n' raisin versions of the Woolpack or the Rovers...absolutely anything is possible."

Natalie says she’s eager to use some of the skills she picked up under Paul Hollywood’s guidance when it comes to her own Christmas dinner. “I do the turkey, the veg, a mean roast potato and a very good stuffing,” she told Woman's Own.

“But for dessert I am hoping to repeat the yule log that I made on Bake Off – but this time not working against the clock!”

A second festive Bake Off special will be themed around Hogmanay – and for that, of course, we must look to Scotland. The Bake Off