EASTENDERS legend Samantha Womack has hit out at soap bosses who ‘rejected’ her.
The actress was utterly beloved by fans of the BBC One soap when she played the role of Ronnie Mitchell.
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Alongside Rita Simons – who played her close sister Roxy Mitchell – she made her debut in EastEnders in July 2007.
However, Sean O’Connor took over as the executive producer role from Dominic Treadwell-Collins.
He decided to kill off the popular Mitchell sibling duo in a dramatic fashion after Ronnie’s second wedding to Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).
Now Samantha has admitted that she felt ‘rejected’ by the new boss, as she admitted that it was not her decision to leave.
She told The Mail: “It was really hard for us because it wasn’t in our hands. We didn’t make the decision to go.
“I don’t really understand what happened, one producer was leaving and another was coming in, I don’t know what went on.”
Before her time on the soap, Samantha, 52, represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.
However, she admitted that leaving Walford took a toll on her, as she felt like she was losing ‘a family.’
The actress told the publication: “At the time it felt like bereavement, it felt like losing a family member. It was like losing family and losing stability.
“But the thing that was the most painful – and it really was painful – was that me and Rita loved feeling like we belonged there.
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“Then to be rejected, and I know that’s emotional but that’s what it was, it hit us both so hard.”
However, the star admitted that she is now thankful to events in hindsight as it allowed her to do other things.
She added: “I do look back now and think, ‘God, I could still be there’, I would never have moved to Valencia.
“I would never have done half the things I’ve done. I was like getting a barnacle off a rock, I probably needed to be forced off at that time.”
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THE beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.
Since leaving the show, the star has focussed on a career in theatre as she secured a number of high-profile roles.
In 2019, she hit the road for a nationwide UK tour of The Girl on the Train.
She was also known for her role as Morticia Addams in the UK tour of the musical, The Addams Family.
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