{"id":44142,"date":"2024-01-18T20:59:12","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T19:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1960771"},"modified":"2024-01-18T23:25:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T22:25:18","slug":"why-eastenders-should-bring-back-kim-medcalfs-sam-mitchell-as-soon-as-possible","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/why-eastenders-should-bring-back-kim-medcalfs-sam-mitchell-as-soon-as-possible\/","title":{"rendered":"Why EastEnders should bring back Kim Medcalf\u2019s Sam Mitchell as soon as possible"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kim Medcalf\u2019s final scenes aired on Thursday 18th January 2024. <\/p>

By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 18 January 2024 at 19:59 PM<\/p>

\n\n

And just like that, Sam Mitchell has left EastEnders<\/a> once more.<\/p>\n

It was a lovely surprise when fans were treated to a return from Sam Mitchell, played once again by Kim Medcalf, in 2022.<\/p>\n

After it was already unheard of for a soap to return to the original actress following a recast when Danniella Westbrook reprised the role in short stints between 2009 and 2016, it was even more surprising that the role would switch back to the recast actress all of these years later.<\/p>\n

Since her return in 2022<\/a>, Medcalf has brought back her strong acting abilities (originally on show during the Dirty Den murder storyline of 2005) and, with years more experience, gives further texture to Samantha rather than a one-dimensional man-eater or Mitchell family f**k-up.<\/p>\n

From her camp entrances in April 2022 and her showdowns with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean)<\/a>, it was clear that Sam meant business and was soon caught up in gangster conspiracies that also built on her complicated relationship with big brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).<\/p>\n

\"Kim\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) made an explosive return to EastEnders in April 2022.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The most gratifying aspects of Medcalf\u2019s return came from elsewhere, however. Whether it was in her believable portrayal of Sam trying to reconnect with her son Ricky (Frankie Day), or her sexy connection with colleague Zack Hudson (with co-star James Farrar, Medcalf has great on-screen chemistry) as both a love interest and a stable friendship, this Sam felt sympathetic, real, and like an individual trying to improve themselves \u2013 even in the face of cynical judgement from her family and Ricky\u2019s hypocritical father Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).<\/p>\n