EastEnders airs exit for regular character in early iPlayer release

EastEnders spoilers follow from Thursday's episode, which is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. This article contains storyline details that some viewers may prefer to avoid, as this episode hasn't yet aired on TV.

EastEnders aired Sam Mitchell's final scenes in today's episode (January 18) as she left Walford under a cloud following a dramatic week.

Sam headed back to Walford late last year, after seven months away – and has found herself caught up in ongoing drama ever since.

More recently, Sam decided to publicly expose her brother Phil's guilty behaviour, having discovered he slept with Lola's mum Emma behind Kat's back.

phil mitchell, sam mitchell, eastenders
BBC

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Thursday's visit to Walford, which is already available to watch on BBC iPlayer, explored the fallout of Sam's bombshell, as Kat and Phil's marriage fell apart.

As Kat refused to forgive Phil for his betrayal, Sam also faced a backlash and was met with contempt for the way in which she had handled everything.

Sam had already acknowledged that she would need to leave the Square anyway but she was quickly left under no uncertain terms that she couldn't stay any longer.

phil mitchell, sam mitchell, eastenders
BBC

Sam then went over to see her son Ricky for moral support. However, Jack was furious when he got wind of Sam's plans to leave and ordered her out.

She then faced another confrontation with Phil outside, as he demanded she give his money back and reiterated that he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Realising her time was definitely up, Sam headed to Peggy's to steal cash, which she posted through the door of No.27 for Ricky.

sam mitchell, ricky mitchell, eastenders
BBC

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Her final scene saw her emotionally head to the tube station, accepting her time in Walford was over for good.

Digital Spy can confirm that Thursday's episode marked the end of Sam's stint, and Kim Medcalf has left the show.

Kim reprised her role as Sam in 2022, after previously replacing the original Sam actress Danniella Westbrook during a three-year stretch from 2002 to 2005.

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage

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