Former ‘EastEnders’ actress Samantha Womack has taken aim at the soap over the way her character’s exit was handled.
Samantha played Ronnie Mitchell for nine years in the BBC soap, until the character was killed off in a shock storyline at the beginning of last year that also saw her sister Roxy dying in the same swimming pool accident.
While several ‘EastEnders’ stars have criticised former soap boss Sean O’Connor - who Samantha has previously spoken out in support of - over the decision to kill off the soap sisters, she’s now expressed her disappointment over the storyline.
She told OK! magazine: “The Mitchell family are such a huge part of that show’s culture – Peggy had gone and then the two Mitchell sisters. It’s a shame to rip out the roots of such a long-serving family.
“The last year and a half has been so exciting and a bit like a rebirth, but I hate the idea that I can’t go back – unless I come back as some weird Australian twin sister!”
Samantha added: “I understand they have to regenerate and constantly recast, but my complaint was when you have two characters who are embedded within the fabric of that community, by killing them completely you’re removing them from any future producer. It’s short-sighted.”
The Mitchell sisters’ shock death was one of a number of decisions made during Sean O’Connor’s ‘EastEnders’ tenure which went down poorly with fans, culminating in him stepping down from the role last year, when he was replaced by former showrunner John Yorke.
Read Samantha’s interview in full in the latest issue of OK! magazine, on sale now.