EastEnders star Samantha Womack quits the Square after a decade playing Ronnie Mitchell in dramatic exit plot
Actress first appeared in Albert Square as part of the infamous Mitchell family in 2007 and 'jumped at the chance'
EASTENDERS star Samantha Womack is leaving the BBC soap after almost a decade, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
She has become one of the Albert Square’s best-loved faces as Ronnie Mitchell since she joined in 2007.
But the Beeb confirmed Samantha, 43, has decided to go after new boss Sean O’Connor offered her an exit storyline.
And sources told how the actress “jumped at the chance” to go out with a bang.
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One insider revealed: “It was felt that with everything Ronnie has been through over the past nine years, it is now time to rest the character.
“She already has a few projects lined up so she won’t be off screen for long.”
Since her debut as Ronnie, Samantha’s character has been at the centre of some of the soap’s most harrowing storylines.
They include two murders, the admission that she was raped by her father and the tragic cot-death of her son, James.
Samantha later admitted that the storyline gave her “the most horrific four weeks of my life”.
Ronnie will remain in Walford until next year — when her dramatic exit will come at the climax of an explosive storyline.
An EastEnders spokeswoman said last night: “Samantha has created an iconic character in Ronnie Mitchell.”
She added: “However, she was recently offered a big storyline which she happily accepted that leads to Ronnie departing Walford. We wish Samantha all the best for the future.”