She's had one of the most traumatic years of her life - and former EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has got away from it all on a last-minute holiday to Turkey.
The soap actress has gone on the break with a friend and baby daughter Eliza to stay in a five star hotel in the south of the country - and to escape everything surrounding her 31-year-old former fiancé Adam Cottrell's conviction for assaulting her.
Heartbroken Natalie, 28, who has suffered from yo-yoing weight over the years, looked like she had shed the pounds too during her recent ordeal - and appeared determined to keep it off whilst abroad too.
In a bid to keep her mind free from the nightmare she suffered at the hand of Adam earlier this year - and to keep the inches from her hips - Natalie has been non-stop when it comes to keeping active.
As a result, the mother-of-one is looking in incredible shape - and indeed, Natalie didn't seem shy to show off her figure in her tiny colourful abstract print bikini.
The star did however cover up at the end of another perfect day on the beach in a pretty bandeau sun dress featuring a butterfly print - perhaps another hint that she's been reborn since splitting from Cottrell.
Natalie revealed earlier this month that she was scared her violent ex-fiancé would try to kidnap their baby daughter if he lost control again.
Talking for the first time since her Cottrell attacked her in front of their nine-month-old child Eliza, she confessed that she still loved him.
However, the star, who played trumpet-blowing Sonia Fowler in the soap, believes he might try and run off with their daughter, saying: 'I don't believe Adam would ever hurt Eliza, but I have to remember that things have happened with her in the room.
'What if, God forbid, one day he thought, "I miss her so much I'm going to take her away?"'
The alcohol-fuelled attack happened two months ago and Natalie hasn't seen him since as she has taken out a restraining order against him.
She also revealed that he once almost killed them all after he got into a fury and drove like a maniac with the entire family in the car.
Natalie said: 'That was really horrible. There were times when he got angry in the car and he'd put his foot on the accelerator and start to drive really fast with Eliza in the back. That was when I really worried about Eliza's safety.'
Speaking to OK magazine, she said she last saw him on May 21 and added: 'The day before was the day he ripped my top and grabbed my arms.
'Adam and alcohol don't mix, he can fly off the handle - he sees red. Eliza's the most important thing to me so to be in a house with somebody who gets aggressive - who can grab you and rip your top while she's asleep - isn't right.
'She was in the room when the mascara incident happened.'
Natalie was referring to an earlier attack on April 13 when he smeared make-up on her and hit her with a slipper.
And though she said that although she was still in love with him, she hated him for what he had done and knew that leaving him would be the best thing to do.
The actress said: 'In the end we couldn't be in the same room without arguing. Then it got to the stage when I was frightened and had to do something about it.
'I thought he was "The One". I'm still in love with him but I hate him for everything he's done.
'I still have feelings for him but I can't see us getting back together because of everything that's happened.'
The star, who has famously battled with her weight before, looks like she's now determined to build a new life - and look - for herself.
The star has yo-yoed between a size six and 16 over the years, but appears now to be a slim size 10 figure.
She lost two stone in three months before her trauma with Cottrell, but seems to have shed a few more pounds since, possibly through stress.
She told Closer magazine in May that she had wanted to lose another half a stone.
She added: ' 'Naturally I’m about a size 14. It’s a real effort to be a 10, but I’d be really disappointed if I put the weight back – I don’t want to be a yo-yo dieter any more.
'I’d love to be between a 10 and 12 for the rest of my life.'
The soap actress has gone on the break with a friend and baby daughter Eliza to stay in a five star hotel in the south of the country - and to escape everything surrounding her 31-year-old former fiancé Adam Cottrell's conviction for assaulting her.
Heartbroken Natalie, 28, who has suffered from yo-yoing weight over the years, looked like she had shed the pounds too during her recent ordeal - and appeared determined to keep it off whilst abroad too.
In a bid to keep her mind free from the nightmare she suffered at the hand of Adam earlier this year - and to keep the inches from her hips - Natalie has been non-stop when it comes to keeping active.
As a result, the mother-of-one is looking in incredible shape - and indeed, Natalie didn't seem shy to show off her figure in her tiny colourful abstract print bikini.
The star did however cover up at the end of another perfect day on the beach in a pretty bandeau sun dress featuring a butterfly print - perhaps another hint that she's been reborn since splitting from Cottrell.
Natalie revealed earlier this month that she was scared her violent ex-fiancé would try to kidnap their baby daughter if he lost control again.
Talking for the first time since her Cottrell attacked her in front of their nine-month-old child Eliza, she confessed that she still loved him.
However, the star, who played trumpet-blowing Sonia Fowler in the soap, believes he might try and run off with their daughter, saying: 'I don't believe Adam would ever hurt Eliza, but I have to remember that things have happened with her in the room.
'What if, God forbid, one day he thought, "I miss her so much I'm going to take her away?"'
The alcohol-fuelled attack happened two months ago and Natalie hasn't seen him since as she has taken out a restraining order against him.
She also revealed that he once almost killed them all after he got into a fury and drove like a maniac with the entire family in the car.
Natalie said: 'That was really horrible. There were times when he got angry in the car and he'd put his foot on the accelerator and start to drive really fast with Eliza in the back. That was when I really worried about Eliza's safety.'
Speaking to OK magazine, she said she last saw him on May 21 and added: 'The day before was the day he ripped my top and grabbed my arms.
'Adam and alcohol don't mix, he can fly off the handle - he sees red. Eliza's the most important thing to me so to be in a house with somebody who gets aggressive - who can grab you and rip your top while she's asleep - isn't right.
'She was in the room when the mascara incident happened.'
Natalie was referring to an earlier attack on April 13 when he smeared make-up on her and hit her with a slipper.
And though she said that although she was still in love with him, she hated him for what he had done and knew that leaving him would be the best thing to do.
The actress said: 'In the end we couldn't be in the same room without arguing. Then it got to the stage when I was frightened and had to do something about it.
'I thought he was "The One". I'm still in love with him but I hate him for everything he's done.
'I still have feelings for him but I can't see us getting back together because of everything that's happened.'
The star, who has famously battled with her weight before, looks like she's now determined to build a new life - and look - for herself.
The star has yo-yoed between a size six and 16 over the years, but appears now to be a slim size 10 figure.
She lost two stone in three months before her trauma with Cottrell, but seems to have shed a few more pounds since, possibly through stress.
She told Closer magazine in May that she had wanted to lose another half a stone.
She added: ' 'Naturally I’m about a size 14. It’s a real effort to be a 10, but I’d be really disappointed if I put the weight back – I don’t want to be a yo-yo dieter any more.
'I’d love to be between a 10 and 12 for the rest of my life.'
