Storylines
Trumpet-playing Sonia Jackson arrives in Albert Square in 1993 with the rest of her family. The third of Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson)'s four children, Sonia was the result of her mother's fling with Terry Cant, whom Sonia never knew. During her early childhood, she becomes close friends with Clare Tyler (Gemma Bissix) and the two are inseparable until Clare falls in with the wrong crowd at school and starts bullying Sonia but they reconcile before Clare leaves in 1998. Sonia herself briefly leaves Walford in 1997, following her brother Billie (Devon Anderson)'s kidnapping, but returns to visit her family, eventually moving back permanently to live with her sister Bianca (Patsy Palmer), in 1998.
Following a brief romance with an Italian exchange student, Enrico di Clemente (Francois Pandolfo), in 1999, Sonia sleeps with Martin Fowler (James Alexandrou) in 2000 in a moment of vulnerability. She puts this behind her and begins dating Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder); however, a stunned Sonia gives birth to Martin's daughter on 26 October 2000; she had not even realised that she was pregnant, putting her weight gain down to overeating. Baby Chloe (later renamed Rebecca) is subsequently given up for adoption, despite protests from Martin's mother Pauline (Wendy Richard). However, Sonia later develops an obsession with her adopted daughter and abducts her, locking herself in her house with the baby. Despite pleas from Rebecca's adoptive parents, it is Sonia's step-grandmother, Dot (June Brown), that persuades Sonia to return the baby.
Sonia and Jamie get engaged, but due to Jamie's fling with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and constant rowing, the relationship ends. Sonia begins dating Gus Smith (Mohammed George), who plans to propose, but is devastated when Sonia reconciles with Jamie after he is brutally assaulted by his guardian, Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). Sonia helps him, nursing him through his injuries and they decide to marry but their happiness is short-lived as Martin Fowler accidentally runs Jamie over in December 2002. Sonia keeps a bedside vigil and is with Jamie when he dies on Christmas Day. Sonia finds it hard to let go of Jamie or her anger at Martin but eventually forgives him. They slowly grow closer and feelings develop into love; they elope in 2004 and marry in seclusion.
Sonia begins nursing training and she and Martin live with Pauline but find her interference difficult to cope with. Months into the marriage, Martin gets unwittingly involved with a stalker, Sarah Cairns (Alison Pargeter), who tries to ruin his marriage. This culminates in Sarah holding Sonia and Martin hostage and stabbing Martin, until Sonia knocks her unconscious. Sonia and Martin face further upset when they discover that their daughter's adoptive parents have died in a car crash. They visit Rebecca's guardian, Margaret Wilson (Janet Amsden), hiding their true identity but when Margaret realises who they are, she orders them to leave. Pauline also interferes and visits Rebecca with Martin. Sonia is furious when she learns this and animosity in the Fowlers' home puts a strain on Martin and Sonia's relationship so she begins spending more time with a nursing colleague, Naomi Julien (Petra Letang); feelings develop and they begin a lesbian affair. Martin is heartbroken when his marriage ends, and the situation is complicated further by Rebecca, who, on Margaret's request, begins spending more time at the Fowlers'. Margaret decides to make the Fowlers' Rebecca's legal guardians but opts not to include Sonia when she discovers her lesbian fling. Margaret dies and custody of Rebecca is given to Martin; Pauline tries to prohibit Sonia from having anything to do with Rebecca. As a result, Sonia becomes distraught and preoccupied with Rebecca. Feeling neglected, Naomi ends their lesbian relationship.
Sonia becomes depressed and begins neglecting her work, drinking alcohol, until Gus helps her straighten her life out. Sonia and Gus begin a second romance, which ultimately ends due to Sonia's lingering feelings for Martin. On 17 October 2006, Sonia and Martin receive their divorce papers. However, both feel remorseful and they secretly reunite. Pauline eventually discovers this; she concocts a story that she is dying from a brain tumour in order to stop Martin from moving in with Sonia. Just as Pauline intends, Martin ends his relationship with Sonia in order to care for his mother, but when the truth finally comes out, a furious Martin moves out anyway. Pauline responds with ire, threatening to cut her son from her life. Sonia attempts to rebuild bridges with Pauline on Christmas Day 2006, but a resulting argument ends with Sonia slapping Pauline. When Pauline is found dead later that day, Sonia fears that it is her slap that has caused her death. She discovers that Rebecca witnessed the slap and tries to silence her daughter, but Rebecca informs Dot at Pauline's funeral. Appalled, Martin refuses Sonia access to Rebecca. Fearing imprisonment Sonia goes on the run, abducting Rebecca. Martin is frantic, but days later Sonia returns and she is arrested on a murder charge; however, that same night Dot uncovers the identity of Pauline's real murderer — Pauline's husband Joe Macer (Ray Brooks), who had argued with Pauline on Christmas Day and struck her over her head, causing her death. Sonia is released and decides to leave Walford for Manchester in February 2007. After making peace with Martin, she takes a taxi and is about to leave Walford when she sees Martin and Rebecca obstructing the road; Martin has decided that he wants to go with Sonia. The Fowlers reunite and leave as a family. They spend time touring the USA before settling in Manchester.
In January 2010, Bianca contacts Sonia to invite her to her wedding to Ricky. Sonia texts Bianca, saying that she and Martin will attend. She arrives alone on 8 February and says Martin and Rebecca are doing fine, but later rejects a phone call from Martin and gets very drunk. The following day, Sonia walks in on Dot slapping her granddaughter Dotty Cotton (Molly Conlin) across the legs, leading to Dot's arrest, though she is soon released without charge. A week into her return, Bianca notices Sonia has continuously avoided talking about Martin and Rebecca. Sonia visits Jamie's grave and later returns to The Queen Victoria pub, drunken and verbally lays into Phil, Jamie's godfather about his treatment of Jamie. Phil cools her down by telling her he considers Jamie one of his kids and tells her to go upstairs to sober up. She misunderstands him and gets into his bed, naked. As soon as Phil sees Sonia in bed, Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) walks in and gets the wrong idea and slaps Phil across the face. Sonia later apologises to Phil after a telling off from Shirley. She confides in Carol about her marriage problems with Martin and Carol advises her to give it another shot for Rebecca's sake. After the wedding of Ricky and Bianca, Sonia decides it is time for her to make a fresh start with Martin, after being inspired by Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) and Bianca's reunion, and she leaves the Square once again. In October 2010, it is revealed that Sonia cannot attend Billie's funeral as she is visiting her brother Robbie (Dean Gaffney) in Mumbai, but she sends flowers. Sonia returns to Walford in January 2011 to explain where Bianca is, as she has gone missing. She tells Carol that Bianca is staying with her in a B&B in Dagenham, and explains that she was unable to attend Billie's funeral because she was too upset, not because she was visiting Robbie. She reveals that she and Martin have split up as he was having an affair and she and Rebecca are now living in Dagenham. She then takes Carol to see Bianca.
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