We all know soap operas like EastEnders can be pretty brutal and unapologetic with their character exits. Well, Samantha Womack, aka Ronnie Mitchell, felt the full force of that drama when she learned about her character’s axing.
Ronnie was a cornerstone character in Albert Square for a solid decade, tackling some seriously heavy storylines. But the showrunners showed no mercy on Samantha and carved her character out. Dive in to know how the actress felt about the whole episode.
EastEnders: Samantha’s Emotional Confession On Ronnie’s Exit!
Ronnie Mitchell had a wild ride on EastEnders, involving plots like underage rape and a heart breaking baby swap. But the fun only lasted a decade before a new producer, Sean O’Connor, came on board in 2017. He literally gave Samantha’s character the boot from Walford. She revealed, “Sean was coming in, I was excited because Ronnie had got really dark, and it became really over-sensationalized.”
Moreover, Samantha was happy that the new EastEnders producer was on board with the idea of toning down the darkness. She herself confessed to Sean that her character had become too dark, hoping for a chill future on-screen. The showrunner decided to kill off Ronnie. Samantha sighed, “I was devastated because I wasn’t planning to leave.” Imagine meeting the producer for the first time, and they kill you off—crazy, right?
The EastEnders actress was baffled: “I was like, what?!’ First time I ever met him.” Sadly, Womack had to drown her alter ego, “that was really hard, having to kill someone that I loved.” On the soap, Ronnie met her tragic end alongside her sister Roxy in a hotel pool on her wedding day. Not exactly the happily ever after she deserved. But hey, the departure led to Samantha finding her calling in the world of theatre. It’s just like every cloud has a silver lining.
The former EastEnders legend digs the more relaxed hours and creative freedom. Womack explained, “I always fall out with everyone on television. Someone is always telling you what to do with your character.” So, the theatre suits her just fine! We can all draw inspiration from Womack, who bounced back after hitting rock bottom. Don’t you think? Anyway, keep reading TV Season & Spoilers for more such inside scoops on EastEnders celebs!