EastEnders star Samantha Womack, 49, reveals she’s fighting cancer as she pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John
EASTENDERS actress Samantha Womack has revealed she is battling cancer.
The 49-year-old, who is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell on the BBC soap, shared her diagnosis today as she paid tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John.
Sharing a picture of herself with the actress, who passed away at the age of 73, Samantha wrote: “This was the most magical of evenings.
“Olivia and Chloe had come to see Grease in London and we had dinner together afterwards. I was so excited and in awe, she was my childhood.”
Sam added: “I now start my own battle with this disease and am left feeling deeply moved. #OliviaNewtonJohn.”
Her followers sent her well wishes, with This Morning’s soap expert Sharon Marshall writing: “Wishing you love and strength ❤.”
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Another fan wrote: “Wishing you all the best with your treatment and recovery.”
While someone else added: “So sorry to hear this. Wishing you love and strength throughout your journey 😘💪🏻 xxx”
Dame Olivia Newton-John died "peacefully" at her ranch in Southern California on Monday morning, surrounded by family and friends, following a 30 year battle with breast cancer.
Olivia was first diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1992, but it went into remission and it came back in 2013.
Again, it went back into remission but surfaced again in 2017 - this time spreading to her bones and progressing to Stage IV.
Samantha made her EastEnders debut on on July 24, 2007, slipping into the skin of Ronnie Mitchell, a cousin of Walford tough man Phil, Grant and Sam.
Less than a decade later, Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell were given the chop.
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The former married Jack Branning but the wedding day turned tragic when she leapt into a pool to try and save her drunken sister from the water.
Both sisters drowned, with Ronnie dying after becoming entangled in her own wedding dress.
Since then, Samantha Womack has gone on to focus on many other projects including a production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - but is not against returning to the Square.
